Her Promise
by bee2091
Summary: What if six years of your life disappeared? Four months after his apparent death, Wally has been brought back to a life he doesn't recall. Now Artemis will do whatever it takes to have him remember the love they used to share; vowing that no matter what challenges might carry them apart, they will always find their way back to each other. /Idea taken from the film: The Vow.
1. Chapter 1: Part 1

_Flowers for a grave,  
Both dainty and distressing,  
As tears escape twin rivers of the soul.  
Convenient time I gave,  
Infrequently expressing,  
The sentiment between routine and role.  
Words left unspoken,  
Considered unnecessary,  
Sunshine and shadows, petals and tears.  
Now the bridge is broken,  
The chance was temporary,  
To cross back and stroll through tender years.  
Eulogies and regret,  
As mysterious as Artemis,  
I failed to say just what I really meant.  
A cemetery debt,  
For love that went unpaid,  
And greeting cards I never even sent._

* * *

**PALO, ALTO, CALIFORNIA  
OCTOBER 10, 2016 13:48 PDT**

* * *

...and the first thought that comes to mind is 'Why are these lights so bright?' as I squint up at the florescent light fixtures that are hazily defining above me. My second thought is where I am in this non-familiar place. My vision starts off blurry, but it's just enough for me to watch an African American woman shouting out words as she stands before me. This oncoming migraine that sets in from the loudness of her voice complicates on making out the words she yells. I do nothing but watch the rapid movements of her lips. She pauses her utterances and quickly turns her attention to me, words sounding like a whisper said in order to keep myself calm. My ears gather nothing she says, only clinking like shaken bells. The constant ringing settles down and the woman's voice sounds more humanly instead of words coming as garbled and bunched together. Still, they're processed faint. With everything unclear, my vision slowly becomes more distinct and my eyes scatter to the left side of the area where two more people enter. One of them, a Caucasian male, wears a long white coat that overshadows his professional clothing underneath. He holds a brown clipboard to his side with paperwork attached. Like the woman whom I took my first look upon when I woke, he asks me continual questions I can't comprehend. My eyes wonder off to the right, ignoring the two when I end up meeting eye to eye with another woman who entered the room with the male. The first thing I observe is her thick blonde hair that's tied in a ponytail and dangles freely to her backside, her olive-toned skin, and the slender stature she posses from looking at her body head down. She wears a dark red sweater with a yellow shirt that's barely noticeable stick out underneath and dark blue jeans all covered with a white gown similar to those the people wore in front of me. Her description, her exact detail and features somehow comes to me faster than anything else that blends in this room, yet I don't find myself familiar with her. My attention is caught short and I move pass her, but my brain keeps pestering me that of the people in this room, she's the only one who looks bereaved.

"What ...name...son...?" The man asks me, his voice a little more broad. A good chunk of his question made sense, but I wait to answer until I hear him completely. "Can you... please give...us...yo...name?"

I clear my throat, the inside of my mouth feeling cottony and dry like a sandy desert. There isn't enough water in my body and I can feel the dehydration taking a toll in me. There's nothing I can do to help resolve my problem because the lack of strength I possess. I'm unable to speak due to exhaustion and I continue to ignore the man while he patiently waits for me to answer his questions. _'Where am I?__'_ I think to myself, managing to lift my head forward about half an inch, but I grow tired too quickly and rest my head on the soft cottony pillow. I figure to turn my neck to view the rest of my body. Thoughts of being here because of something simple as my body giving out on me or I sustained an injury from battle flows in my head. If that's the case, there's no pain when I wiggle my toes, no discomfort in any part of my body. A large baby-blue blanket covers my entire physical structure except for my arms that relax on my chest. IV's and a few needles stick in my skin which has me assume that I've been put on drugs, a good explanation to why it's taking me so long to get my mind and body together. The puzzle pieces collect together and I realize I'm in a hospital.

"How many fingers am I holding Mr. West?" The female doctor asks me, pouring more questions as if I'm fully conscious.

My headache tricks me to believing she's holding four when I know there are two in my face. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing escapes my chapped lips. I'm beat and something easy as speaking will use to much energy I don't have. The last thing I worry about is trying to get out of bed and start rambling off with questions I have about the situation that led me here. I remain mute and everything around me slowly becomes settle. The volume from the television that's mounted to the corner of the wall in the background can be heard. A weatherman gives the daily forecast in what looks like..._Palo, Alto?_ I blink a few times to make sure I read it correctly, then move on to read other cities near the area; Redwood City, Sunnyvale, San Francisco. The top of the screen has the state, California, underlined in bold letters. This is where I find myself lost. _Why am I in California? _The doctors detect my facial expression right away and finally put a stop to their questions.

"Wha..." I clear the gunk from the back of my throat once again. "What am I doing in California?" I look at everyone for an answer and for a brief moment the blonde that stands off to the side slight grins to me as if everything's alright. Sitting in a hospital bed stuck with needles, a heart monitor to my side, doctors asking me questions over and over, and I'm nowhere near home with my parents doesn't make me think everything's okay. They remain silent. "What's...what's going on?"

"Everything's going to be okay Wally." The blonde woman says to me with a soft voice.

I take a glimpse at her, strangely getting this feeling of warmth and comfort from her words. Unlike the others she doesn't have a name tag on her gown. Before I can ask, I feel the bed slowly rising upward from underneath with the inclination being controlled from the female doctor holding the remote.

"Mr. West." The male says to gain my full attention. "My name is Dr. Hamilton and this is my assistant Dr. Johnson. We're here to assess and take care of you for the duration of your recovery. We know you've just woken up, but we'll need to start off with you answering a few of our questions. We'll explain to you everything that's going on afterward. Right now, just relax."

I didn't have any other choice at this point. "Okay...?"

"Good. Now can we start off with you giving us your full name?" He asks, bringing his clipboard closer to his face for a better view.

I take a deep breath first to give me strength, "Wal-ly...West."

"And your parent's names?"

"Rudo..lph and..." I clear my throat another time, looking off to the blonde on the side. I can't help but observe the shivery look in her dark grey eyes. "Mary."

"When is your birthday?"

"November eleventh." I inhale another deep breath the same moment I make effort to wiggle my fingers and thumbs. "What's going on?"

Both doctors exchange looks to each other without saying a word, then turning their attention directly to the blonde on the other side of me. They nod in some sort of mutual and mental agreement they probably arranged earlier when I was out. Johnson makes her way towards leaving the room as Hamilton takes a few steps closer to the left side where I lay. "You've been involved in a car accident Mr. West. Your friend happened to be at the scene the moment you crashed and brought you here right away."

"A car...a car accident?" I take glint at the blonde woman. She suspiciously looks off to the side, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I know this is all so sudden for you and a lot to take in, but we're going to leave you with your friend. I believe she'll be able to answer some your questions better than we can." He pauses and sets a pager on top of my laid-back hands. "If you need help with anything else, page us and either myself or Dr. Johnson will be here for your assistance."

None of what they're telling me makes no sense. How could I have gotten into a car accident on my own if don't have my license, how did I get in a car accident, and this woman they claim who can answer my question is unknown. In what way will she be able to help me with the questions I have? She's unrecognizable, but I'll admit that she's been an attractive presence standing on my side. There's a possibility she is a higher expert in the medical field, but that part of her skill hasn't been mentioned and there is no name-tag labeled on her white coat. We are left alone once Hamilton leaves the room. My first action is to avoid looking at her and focus on flexing my arm muscles for any physical signal of pain. It's the only activity I come to think of since I'm stuck in a room with someone I don't know. Her bodily scent silently reaches the bottom of my nostrils, making me more awake and aware of my surroundings. It is soothing and it's almost like I can name her perfume right off the bat. As much as I refuse and as good looking as she is, I find myself staring at her again. There's not a moment where she hadn't kept her eyes off me the entire time we've been in the room. It's strange and almost flattering in a weird way. She gazes at me as if we've known each other for years. _What is she thinking?_

She gives me a half smile, "You feeling okay?"

I stop flexing my biceps and triceps. "I have, uh...I have a headache, but I'll be alright."

My eyes stick to her when she takes a chair from the side of the room to set it next to where I lay. She is more willing to make herself comfortable by sitting down. I suppose she had been standing longer than what I figured. Her head lowers to the floor, allowing all of her fingers to run through her thick strands of hair until they reach the back of her ponytail, then sliding her palms back to rub her neck. Our eyes meet once again and then blank stares. The air between us stands still. Neither of us know how to start off from here.

"I'm trying my hardest to keep myself from asking." She breaks the silence.

I use the little strength in my arms and shoulders to push myself meet her eye level. "Keeping yourself from asking me what?"

She gently bites her quivering bottom lip, remaining inexplicable the moment she first took steps in the room. I rewind back to all the friends I've had in my life and my family members I've came in contact with, any of the villains or hero's I've ran into my crime fighting career, but she doesn't spur a clue in my head. There is no relation, no connection, no friendship I have with this woman. She is here for a reason and her presence provides contentment.

Her voice cracks, "You have no idea what I had to go through to bring you back."

My mouth still dry from lack of water, I swallow the ball of spit that sits on the back my tongue. "What happened in the first place?"

She can't expect me to know what events took place beforehand and she looks at me confused. In order to make some type of attempt in doing so I rest my head back to the pillow and stare at the ceiling, trying my absolute hardest to focus and remember. Seconds of quietness passes by, but all I can gather is an image of my Uncle Barry and myself running in circles, words being thrown in the background. Then nothing as everything goes black and comes to an end. My migraine worsens.

"You don't remember, do you?" Disappointment in her tone.

"No." I slowly shake my head in frustration. "But I feel fine. How did I get out from the accident without any injuries? There's not a scratch on me."

She lightly chuckles underneath her breath, though her eyes start to water with tears. "You weren't in a car accident in the first place. I had to come with a backup story unless you wanted everyone know you're secretly Kid Flash."

My mouth drops to my chest when she announces my secret identity to myself, but she sits there smiling as if she told a joke. The last person who's aware of my identity, besides my Uncle, is Dick. Her confidence exposes and there's no denying it, so I angrily look off to the television. "So...you know."

"What did you expect?" She waits for an answer, but nothing comes from my mouth. I shrug my shoulders in response and this bothers her knowing she expects me to remember, but nothing comes to mind. She leans back on her chair. "You saved the world."

"I saved the world..." I repeat her exact words with sarcasm. I can't help but smirk, but the seriousness in her eyes and the set of emotions she distributes tells me this isn't a joke. She's the only one who knows what happened so some part of me has to follow what she says. "How did that happen?"

I watch her spiral both her thumbs over each other. "It was four months ago." She stands from her seat and casually walks to the sink across my bed. She grabs one paper cup from the counter to fill with cool water. "Long story short the world was going to perish from the hands of forces from the outside world. The Flash and Impulse tried preventing the almost unstoppable until you came and sacrificed your life to save all of us." She approaches me, leaning over my bed to hand me the cup. "When it was all over..." She sadly looks away from me after I take the cup. "You disappeared. We figured you died. The last message Flash delivered us from you was that you love your parents..." She breaks, a tear slides down her soft cheek and falls on my blanket leaving a wet spot. "And me."

I would've known if my Uncle was involved with a world catastrophe situation because of me being his protege. Wherever he went when there was trouble I was always there by his side. Like her, I'm unfamiliar with Impulse. How can I love someone I don't know? Every word she spoke makes it hard to believe. The main reason I continue to listen is because she knows my identity, but how? Questions will only lead up to more questions. I take a sip of the water to finally down the dryness in my throat.

"There was a funeral..." She continues, taking a seat on my bed to the side of my leg. Her eyes wonder to a decorative painting on the wall on the left side of the room, thinking back to her memories. "Everyone was there, all of our friends and members from the League. We had a ceremony to celebrate your life. There's even a hologram displayed of you in the Watchtower and-"

_That's enough._ I cut her off rudely. "I think I'd remember my own death and I'm pretty sure I'd remember loving a person like you." I watch her body turn numb, her face expressionless. I have to change the way I'm saying this. "I mean, I'm not saying I don't love you...I'm not, but, I uh...I can't?" It's impossible to put my words together correctly and I can't help but feel horrible knowing each word that escapes my mouth visually expresses her emotions of sorrow. I hold my words in and slap my forehead. "It's obvious you know who I am, but I don't even know who you are."

With that said, silence emerges. Her jaw lowers just barely enough for me to spot the bottom row of her pearly white teeth. Her right hand partially covers her lips just as Dr. Hamilton steps inside the room to check on us. When she bows her head a few strands of her hair loose from her ponytail follow along. A stream of tears flow down her cheeks. Her body shakes frantically and gives away vibrations on my bed as if someone had let the cold air flow from the glass window. This display on her behalf makes this situation more unclear to me. I might of accidentally insulted her and I don't want her feelings to be hurt. "I don't know. I mean...am I supposed to know you or? Who are you to me?"

She can't blame for not being able to add this up. I'm not aware of what the Watchtower is. I haven't even been inducted in the Hall of Justice with The Flash and the other known sidekicks. I wait for her to explain more, but she stays silent after catching Dr. Hamilton. He quietly exits the room without a word. The blonde doesn't look back at me with an answer, only wiping the tears that slip with her sleeve. "I'm...um..." She forces herself to speak, choking on the words she spat." My name is Artemis."

_'Artemis, Artemis, Artemis__', _I think to myself out loud. It's a fit name and one looks to suit her perfectly. I'd definitely remember a name like hers, but nothing comes to memory. The connection we have to one another is non-existent, but it's starting to bother me. Maybe I can recognize her last name. "Artemis what?"

"Crock..."She maunders quietly, "Artemis Crock."

We sit quietly. Voices from the television sounds off in the background along with the footsteps from people who work in the facility passing by. We stay distant and Artemis sheds another tear in front of me. Her mouth takes in a large quantity of air from having a stuffy nose. I can almost feel the vibe of lonesome and sorrowfulness she exhibits in herself. Artemis stands from the bed and walks back to take her previous seat, her face vividly demonstrating how her heart has been shattered into a million pieces.

I rub both sides of my head where my temples located, looking at the news on the television screen that displays the date on top left corner. When I see the year date of 2016, I can't help but look at her with more confusion than before. "What am I doing here in 2016?'

Again, she looks at me questionably. "It's the present day Wally."

"It's not 2010?"

She closes her eyes, disagreeing with a head shake, "What do you mean? It was 2010 six years ago."

"No..." I clinch my teeth in anger, refusing to believe her. Both of my hands slap the front of my face to cover my eyes. "No, no, no."

"Everything is how it should be." She removes my right hand from covering my face, settling it in her own soft hands. She looks at me heavily in my eyes and I watch as they fill with tears over again. "There's no trick to this, no time travel involved...nothing. Everything is how it should be. " We both look below to her hands that tremble lightly; her palms warm and soft. She doesn't bother meeting eye to eye with me and keeps her eyes on our hands. She whispers, "But why don't you remember me?"

Her index finger grazes against my knuckles in a playful manner. I don't know if she was exactly asking me that questions, but I can't lie and tell her I do because I don't. Guilt inside me grows knowing that there has to be some history between us, otherwise she wouldn't be here.

" I don't know." I slightly smirk to try flirting my way towards her. "I don't think I'd forget a face like yours."

She giggles underneath her breath and as quickly as her attractive smile came, it vanishes. Her eyes twinkle with the lights in the room, her skin turning cold. She gets lost in my eyes and seemingly loses herself in reality. Another tear drizzles down her cheek when she tries to speak, but words can't seem to come from her mouth. I purposely gently tighten the grip of our hands together and doing so shocks her back to reality. She blinks quickly a few times...

"I don't know how else to put this." She says to me, tightening her grip even more. "I'm your girlfriend."

* * *

**Author's Note**: **How Wally was brought back will be explained further along in the story.**


	2. Chapter 1: Part 2

_While walking today as I normally do_  
_I turned around and your face came into view.  
__My heart beating fast just took my breath away  
__totally speechless with nothing to say.  
__I remembered things that were spoken the day we said hi  
__and how much I cried when you said goodbye  
__Just then someone took you by the hand  
__it seemed that you were __happy and life had treated you grand.  
__So with one more glance at your beautiful face_  
_I knew that someone else had taken my place.  
__So memories of you will in my heart forever stay_  
_and I am so thankful I saw you again today_

* * *

**PALO, ALTO, CALIFORNIA**  
**OCTOBER 10, 2016, 18:14 PDT**

* * *

"In the human body, the frontal lobe of the brain is in control of our short term memory and defines our personality. When given a severe blow, specifically from behind, the damage usually causes amnesia, but in Mr. West's case these scans show that there's no damage in that area at all." Dr. Hamilton serves me x-ray scanned copies of Wally's skull while giving me his explanation. "There's no swelling, no sign of impact. No clear explanation to what exactly caused him to forget the past six years of his life. I've never had a patient that has been dealt in a situation like this before."

_"Why can't he remember me?"_ I whisper to myself desperately, but I ask as if the answer will easily come to me. I retrace the area of Wally's skull with my finger tips, the circled portion in the background of Wally's brain where Dr. Hamilton marked the situation. My heart still fills with the slightest of hope. "Will he ever get his memory back?"

He hesitates to answer my question after looking into my eyes, adjusting his glasses. "I'm not going to stand here and give you false hope. His memory can improve within time, possibly taking days or weeks, maybe months for his brain to repair and collect the memories he's lost." He purses his lips together, "And then there are times where they never come back." He stops himself to check if I'd give him an emotional breakdown in response, but only a strong blank stare is given." All you can do now his help him and hope for the best. We can take more scans Ms. Crock, but other than that there's nothing more we can do."

Those are words someone never wants to hear about their loved one. I begin to feel sick once my heart drops to my stomach and I can feel the goosebumps rising on my skin like millions of tiny hills on my arms. The inside of my stomach enjoys twisting and turning at the thought of Wally forgetting everything about me permanently coming to mind. What we had is heading straight to garbage to waste. Just as I visioned myself when he 'passed', I watch my future slipping through my fingers like grains of sand in front of me. The worst part is accepting that he doesn't recall one memory to help me help him and that I'm nothing more to him but a stranger. He doesn't have a clue to how much he means to me, how much he's played a big part in my life, and how much my heart desires his love again. The thought of how he feels about me is unbearable. His awareness of the love I have for him and what he had for me doesn't exist. I'm miles apart from his heart, feeling so distant, so lonesome. I can only hope. I'm his last shot as an aid for him to remembering anything for the past six years of his life and giving up isn't an option.

I move away from the counter and walk towards the tremendously huge glass window that serves us as a wall. Wally, across from me on the other side where the patients reside, zips up his black backpack after packing his belongings in his room. The night when we brought him back, I was able to grab some of his clothes before I brought him to the hospital; a dark green long sleeve thermal shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers that he now wears. I get lost into a gaze while watching his every movement. I almost forgot how tall he is and the build the hides underneath his shirt. His green eyes and freckle-less face I wish I can set my hands on without him being freaked out by me. Just as I'm about to turn my head to look away we happen to meet eye-to-eye. He squints at me, almost like he recognizes me as someone he knows. My heart starts to pound against my chest and I force myself a fake smile while he studies me, but seconds pass and he stops his stare, turning his backside. _God, I'm losing it._ I feel like an idiot and my heart continues its ache inside.

"If I may be so bold, Ms. Crock, for now I'd advise you to do all you can to help regain his memory. Whether it's reciting special events you two experienced together, photos you've taken, videos...do everything you can do that will help fill in the six year gap that's been lost."

My only response is a nod before exiting the room. There isn't any more for me to say to him. My next step is making my way towards Wally to leave this hospital and go home. My legs take it upon themselves to slow down when I reach the doorway to his room. Wally doesn't spot me standing here, only placing his last item in his bag quiescently. His red hair flails with each small movement he makes, the innocent look drawn on his face. I try my hardest not imagine the emotions he'll feel once he reunites with those who love him. He'll eventually have to face them. I clear my throat to make him aware of my presence. His emerald eyes fix on me, surprised to see me after looking at me from the other side just seconds ago.

"Are you..." I rid of an itch in my throat and usually only happens if I were meeting someone new. I try keeping my composure. "Are you ready?"

He swings his backpack around his right shoulder, turns off the television, then walks from around the corner of his bed towards me. "I think I've got everything."

I give him a polite smile and he does the same with one of his own. How much I've missed that cocky half-smile of his. When I turn to walk down the hall, I hear sounds of crunching noises from behind me. I stop and turn to see Wally snacking on a bag of chips he almost forgot about in his room. _At least some part of you hasn't changed._

Wally's out-processing wasn't difficult. People that worked in the facility and knew about our situation acknowledged our departure and didn't mind expressing their goodbyes and good luck for his recovery. Their kind gestures made me feel better inside, giving me more faith and hope that recently lacked in me. I ignore Wally's initial response, figuring that he'd possibly be weird-ed out by them. After multiple elevators and pushing through many doors, we finally reach the front of the parking lot where I had parked my car several meters away. We stop walking when our eyes gander at the sun light that continues to hide behind the skyscrapers downtown, creating a colorful sunset that creates the foundational colors of blue, violet, purple, and orange in the sky. Stars reveal themselves from beyond, twinkling as nighttime works its way on taking over. A few honks from several cars in road brings me back to attention and reminds me on getting home. I take a few steps ahead until I notice only my footsteps are being heard. I face Wally where he stands at the same spot, looking confused as he did when he first woke.

"Is everything okay?" I ask.

"Um..." He turns his head from one side to the other, seeming lost like an estranged tourist. "I think I'll take it from here."

My car keys slip through my fingers and fall to the pavement, but the sounds of impact isn't heard. I slowly approach him, "What?"

"Yea..." He says confidently, scratching the back of his head. "I think I got this. I know I'm not from around here, but I can find my own way home."

"You can't." My voice cracks. "You have to come with me Wally. It's what's best."

He refuses without a thought in his mind. "My home is in Central City, not here."

"No, no it's not." I close the distance between us by a few feet. Even if I were to tackle him to stop him from leaving, I wouldn't be fast enough. I have to change his mind quickly before he'd dart off. "You live with me. We have a home. We even have a dog together."

He doesn't respond, allowing his backpack to slide off his shoulders and fall to the ground for me to pick up. "I really appreciate everything you've done for me back there, but all of what you've told me, about us being together and me saving the world...I'm not going to lie but it's kind of hard to believe. I mean, how can you expect me to go with what you say when you lied to the doctors about me being in a car accident?"

"I lied so your identity wouldn't be exposed. You were still in your red and yellow costume when we brought you back." I throw my hands in front of my chest from frustration. "Why would I make all of this up for no reason? How else would I know you're Kid Flash?"

"Anything could have happened. My head's still cloudy. All I know is I think it's best if I get back to my parents first and see how everything pans out. Since you know who I am then you're aware I'm pretty fast. It shouldn't take me long to find my way back."

My eyes begin to water. We haven't made it to my car and I'm losing him faster than I could possibly imagine. I try my hardest not to sound desperate. "Wally please, don't do this. I can help you if you just let me."

For a moment, his few second glance at my backpack has me to believe he's reconsidering his choice. This ends when his head shakes in disapproval. "Thanks Artemis."

_I lost. _His turns away from me to walk in a different direction from where I stand. I force more tears to fall down my cheeks when I shut my eyes, my teeth clinch as I fear this would be the last time I'd see him again. I had to have something on me that will make him believe what I claim is true.

"Wait!" I shout, buying myself a few more seconds to stall him. He stops walking and turns around while I reach in my back pocket to pull out my touch screen phone. I dial my number to voice mail, turning the speaker mode on and hearing the automated voice message give its instructions.

_**"If you want to listen to you voice messages, press tw-"**_

"Shut up." I mumble to my phone, pressing the number two anyway. Wally chuckles underneath his breath, which has me assume he still retains some part of his sense of humor. He doesn't expect or reject me grabbing his left hand and I place my phone in his palm after turning the volume louder for the both of us to listen. "Just listen."

When the voice message loads his voice starts to play. _"Hey Arty, it's me. I know you're busy in your Humanities class, but I'm at the benches eating my sandwich. I wanted to let you know you used Miracle Whip mayonnaise instead of Best Food's..."_ A moments pause in the message allows us to take the time to exchange glances to one another. This is the moment where I want to tell him_ 'I told you so.'_ He shows the expression of shock on his face after hearing his own voice. This can be enough proof to change his mind. The message resumes to his speaking with his mouth full of food, _"Not cool babe. You know I don't like Miracle Whip. We'll talk about this at home after I p__ut__ olives in your __fruit __salad __for grapes without you knowing__. By the way, I'm going to need help with my English paper. I'll see you when you're done. I love you."_

The message ends. I hadn't listened to any of them since he disappeared knowing that it'd be painful to hear his voice again. I kept the messages because I didn't want to let him go. I didn't think I need to use them for a case like this, but I'm thankful I saved them. I wipe a tear from bottom of my chin with the sleeve of my sweater and click the home button on my screen.

"I'm...in college?" Are the first words that come out of his mouth.

"Yea. Stanford University, but..." My finger clicks on the photos/video tab. "Not anymore. You 'dropped out'."

"Wow." I watch his head tilt back after hearing of his downfall. "Stanford University. That's a good school."

I don't stop myself from giggling. "A very good school." I click on a video that he recorded himself. "And if you still don't believe me, watch this."

I force his thumb to press the play button. He looks back to the phone screen and the video plays...

_"Artemis are you mad at me? Artemis?" _He calls for my name in a playful tone with his thumb covering the screen. _"Artemis...?"_

_"Stay away from me."_ I demand in the background, remembering being pretty annoyed when this video was being recorded at the time.

_"Come on babe. __S__how the world your face."_ He removes his thumb, revealing the dim light the spreads with us in our bedroom.

I lay in our queen sized bed, shying away and covering my body with our fairly large green blanket. I was hiding my messy hair that formed into a frizzy fro from underneath. I remember the night Wally begged me to use my hair dryer for me, but didn't know what he was doing and turned out drying my hair out. I got mad at him, changed into his dark blue gym shorts and white sleeveless top, and wasted the rest of the night laying in bed. That's where he came in with my phone and started recording.

_"No."_ His hand reaches to pull the covers away from hiding my body. He succeeds and I squeal like a little girl, using my feet to fight him back. _"Get away from me!"_

Another smile forms on my face during this clip. I take a quick glimpse at him while looking really interested in the video. I resume looking with him.

_"Your hair __really isn't__ that bad."_ He continues with his amateur recording, shaking the phone with each change in movement he makes. _"I promise."_

_"I don't believe you."_ My voice sounding muffled behind the pillow I now use to hide my face.

He flips the camera to face the both of us, then laying on the bed me to me. I remember my body freezing when I feel his body weight pressing down on the mattress, refusing to make any other movement. The tip of his nose touches my right ear and my head and shoulder twitches when contact is made. He unexpectedly snatches the pillow from my face and throws it to the side. My hands quickly cover my face as a last second replacement.

_"Cut it out!"_ I shout.

_"I'm not stopping until you show your face!"_ He shouts with a fake British accent. _"You still look beautiful. I think you're beautiful and I'm pretty sure people who'll be watching this video will agree."_

_"Nobody will watch this after I delete it." _I surrender and drop my hands to my waist, giving the camera an irritated non-welcoming expression. _"Okay Wally, you've had your fun. Can you stop now?"_

He repeatedly kisses my right cheek and I close my eye from his lips firmly pressing against my skin. The chills run down my spine while watching this. I'm craving one of those. In the video my smile breaks loose and I'm able to grab the phone away from him being distracted. We listen to my victorious laughter in the background while the phone is covered by my hands and he shouts 'Wait!'.

_"Why does your breath smell like onions?" _Are the last words that come out of my mouth when the screen stays black and the video ends there.

I let the combination of the video and voice message sink in, taking the phone from his still hand and placing it back in my pocket. I come to assumption that I've won his fight to stay with me instead of going home, but I didn't have a jump-for-joy moment yet. He gazes into my eyes and in his mind I can ideate the struggle he's dealing with trying to remember. Everything I've told him is true and he does have a life he left behind. His lower jaw quivers, then bites his bottom lip while running his fingers through his red hair. I know our situation is stressful. He remains speechless. I don't blame him.

"I, uh..." His empty open hand turns to a fist, bringing it back to his side. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." I blink multiple times to hold back more tears that form. I watch him do the same. "I just wanted you to know I was making anything up." I place my hand on his fist, forcing him to release so I can settle mine in his to hold. He breathes heavily, trying to hold back the shy smile he partially unveils and eyes the dying traffic across the street beyond the parking lot. "It's getting late."

He nods his head and firms his grip to my hand a little more. "I guess there isn't any other reason not to believe you, is there?" I nod my head quickly in agreement with what he said, feeling my ponytail hitting both sides of my back. He slightly smirks in return and I copy, feeling more happy and less empty than I have in the last four months. My heart finds it way back to my chest, my body finally full of warmth and consolation for now. "Lets go home."

We head back to my car, picking up my keys while we were at it and all though I won this battle, I figure there are many more challenges waiting ahead for us. This doesn't surprise me.

"I can't believe I'm 21."


	3. Chapter 2

**PALO, ALTO, CALIFORNIA  
OCTOBER 11, 2016 09:06 PDT**

* * *

The popping sounds of fresh pork bacon cooking on the stove wakes me from my sleep. Immediately to my senses, the draft sweeping through the window relinquishes the cool breeze, making my body shiver after hitting my legs. I force myself to hide myself under the blankets for warmth. It's enough movement to prevent me from being able to get the last few minutes of my sleep in before I start the day, so my eyes open to our shady lit room. My sight is short to the alarm clock on the table stand beside the front end of the bed, displaying the time of 9:07 am. My vision starts off blurry, giving me multiple sights of objects in the room that stands as one. I rub them with my fists away from the radiance spreading through the window that's barely covered from the blue drapes that flow from the breeze. My arms and legs stretch across the bed after sleeping countless hours in the fetal position, looking down to my right to a figure of an empty warm spot where someone previously laid next to me. Then I remember where I am. This is where home is claimed to be, the life I had before I forgot everything in the past six years. It's not uncanny knowing Artemis and I shared the same bed last night though we're complete strangers. I don't think anything happened between us. We were watching television in the living room while I was getting reacquainted with our pooch and minutes after having dinner I crashed on the couch. This doesn't explain how I got to bed and undressed to wearing this white T-shirt and grey sweat pants by myself. The newly found small bruise on my right shoulder leads me to thinking she probably had a struggle carrying me to bed and changing my clothes. It definitely doesn't hide the possibility she saw my...

"Oh boy..." I groan to my own personal embarrassment.

I lift myself from the mattress, rustling my fingers through my hair to fix my appearance before making my debut in the kitchen. I glance at the door when my nose senses the mouthwatering smell of bacon calling my name. I rush to the doorway, but my attention is caught short when I spot the partial opening of her closet to my side. The idea of snooping is my first thought, but I know it's not the brightest idea and whatever is in there isn't any of my business. Still, my curiosity takes the best of me. She did mentioned before that we're together and since we share a home and a pup that's pretty much like our child, I think it will be alright for me to take a peek. If I'm caught that will be my justification. The sliding door opens quietly enough for her not to hear the rusty wheels squeaking. I come upon a few of her different colored tops, mostly V-necks and a few T-shirts on hangers and several pairs of fitted jeans sloppily hanging to the side. Something on the far left end of the closet stands out to me. My left arm stretches to the side, pulling out some sort of costume. I check the door for any sign of her coming my way, but the kitchen stays filled with noises being heard. I snag the outfit from the hanger along with the other parts of the attire that lay on the floor. Each piece of her costume is spread across the bed; colored in different shades of green and consists of a matching mask, a sleeveless top with a stylized arrow tip on the front, fingerless gloves, pants with black knee pads, and black combat boots. There's also a black utility belt and pouch strap on her left leg filled with assorted tools. _What the hell?_ Now I'm dumbfounded and more alert than I was earlier. When we first met I assumed she was normal, but now I need answers.

I place my finger on her insignia. "Who are you?"

"Tigress." I hear her mild voice from the doorway. I look up to her leaning against the wall with her arms folded over her chest, dressed in red short shorts that stop at her thighs revealing her smooth legs. Her black tank top reveals part of her slim stomach and the support underneath gives her an attractive bust upfront. Her hair is loose from a ponytail with strands separating from each other and her ends settling against her backside. I stop myself from further admiring and drooling over her elegant features like a stalker. I speedily attempt to gather her belongings, bundling them together underneath the covers. It's a stupid idea, but I didn't know what to do to make it seem like I wasn't looking through her belongings. She doesn't appear mad but gracefully smiling instead. "But you found my 'Artemis' costume." She uses her fingers to quote her name.

"So you went as Artemis and now you're Tigress?" I take another glimpse at her insignia. "But I've never heard of you."

She moves her hand on her chest as she giggles. "That's the first thing you said to me when we first met." Artemis pushes her body off the wall and approaches her closet I raided through. Out the further end she pulls out a black quiver, a green bow, and a stash full of arrows that match, bundled together by a black band. "The costume will make sense if you didn't forget these." _Green Arrow's protege..._the first thought that comes to mind. She tosses her bow and arrows on the bed on top of her costume, then grabbing her mask from the side. She lifts it closer to her face, staring into the eyes of the mask as it were someone she knew. "I haven't worn this for almost five months."

There aren't a lot of people that would often change identities. There was a time when I was young where I was giving consideration on taking over the Flash's mantle once my Uncle Barry would retire. That's changed now seeing that I'm older than I once was. Her switch led me to question her, "If you don't mind me asking, why the change?"

She removes a few strands of her hair away from touching her wrinkle-free cheeks with her fingers, tossing her mask carelessly on the bed along with herself for a seat. Her eyes stay on the carpet floor, her mind occupied with many thoughts and perhaps with regretful decisions. She shrugs her shoulders, "It's sort of complicated." Her voice superficial with plenty emotions. She softly bites her bottom lip. "'Artemis' was Kid Flash's partner, both on duty and off. With you gone 'Artemis' was solitary...pointless. I had to move on. I needed to try something new." Artemis bends over to reach underneath the bed. She unveils her current disguise, a hard orange burnt colored mask that's nose and cheeks are stylized as a tiger's face. "That's where Tigress stepped in the picture."

Though Artemis introduced me to who she currently is, her bow and arrow stands out to me more. I align my finger with the strand, "Since you and I were partners, I'll take it that you're one of the good guys?" I shed a grin, but it takes a moment to answer my question, hesitating like she needed to think twice about her answer. I watch her carelessly toss her Tigress mask to the side, not paying attention when it lands on the pillow and slides to the floor.. The entire mood shifts, the room turning cold. There's something she's not telling me. "Artemis?"

Yes." She responds, snapping out of her seemingly hypnotizing state.

"Are you okay?"

"Yea...no-yea. I'm fine." She stutters, eyeballing the front door. "Breakfast is ready."

_Breakfast _"Right." I jump from the bed and brush the wrinkles out of my shirt with my hands. She's already ahead of me, somewhat using her curves from her slender figure to flaunt her body while heading for the door.

I follow her from behind to the kitchen where everything is neatly set on the table. A stack of soft and fluffy pancakes on a white plate in the center with bacon crisped to perfection on the side. Steaming scrambled eggs share the same plate with sausages piled on top with hash-browns on a separate platter next to a bowl filled with different types of fruit. She prepared everything I've wanted in a perfect breakfast. We take our seats from across each other on the table. She doesn't mind serving herself first, using her fork to pile two pancakes on her own plate and helping herself with sides. I grab my cup from the corner to pour some orange juice...

"I almost forgot..." She starts off with bits of bacon crunched in her mouth. "I know how much it bothers you when there's pulp in your juice." She covers her full mouth from spitting food. "That doesn't have any."

She's right, I hate pulp in my orange juice. She continues her streak on consistently calling me out on facts about myself even that my best bud wouldn't know. I'm beginning to believe she knows me better than I know myself. I get down to grub, drenching my pancakes with syrup and swallowing them down as if they weren't touching the back of my throat. I'm more hungrier than usual and I was showing it, stuffing my mouth with one forkful after another. It doesn't come to my attention that she's watching me until I reach across the table for the salt. I forget I'm not home with my parents, feeling embarrassed by my sloppiness. I hope I wasn't making her uncomfortable. Sticky syrup drips along the side my mouth and lands in the middle of my plate. Without a word being said she hands me a napkin.

"Sorry..." I mutter, chewing the rest of the food in my mouth and wiping my face. "I'm just really, really hungry."

She tries concealing her laughter and cracks a smile. "No, please. Go on."

I pace myself eating a lot slower so we can finish around the same time. After taking a bite of her bacon, Artemis deeply stares off to the living room in deep thought. _There she is at it again for the second time today. _I don't have to be telepathic to know something's bothering her. She drops her fork and folds her hands together, each finger lacing next to the other. Her head drops to face the table. "If you don't mind me asking, what's the last thing you actually remember doing before all this?"

I take a sip of my orange juice to swallow the bits of remaining eggs in my mouth. My eyes shut in attempt to rewind and remember what I previously did before waking up in the hospital. My heartbeat quickly picks up pace, my body temperature rising. My brain sends me cutting images of me as Kid Flash running around in circles in a vast empty field surrounded with fresh green grass. There are flashing pictures of me going to school in the sky playing like a projector, the evening where Dick Grayson and I introduced ourselves to each other after a mission with our mentors by our side, my Uncle Barry's voice heard in the background telling me that I, along with a few other sidekicks from members of the Justice League, are going to be inducted to the Hall of Justice, and then...

"**AUGH!**" I scream in atrocious agony.

My body jolts as if I've been electrocuted by lightning, pain stinging toward the direction down my spine hitting all the nerves throughout my body. The table shakes like an earthquake has hit and nearly knocks my glass of orange juice over the table. Artemis shakes from the unexpected reaction and I blink repeatedly from a freshly new headache forming. It takes me a moment to gain feeling back in my body and when I'm finally capable of doing it, I cover my face with my sweaty palms. I abruptly fell out of the mood to eat. _What just happened?_

"Wal-Wally? Are you alright?" She rushes from her seat and sits by my side to be closer. "What did you see? What happened?"

The stinging in my body eases and I'm starting to cool down, wiping off the sweat droplets that settle on my hairline. This is the first time I've ever endured something like this. It was the most amount of pain I've experienced in my life, but multiplied by a thousand. Luckily for me it only lasted for a few seconds. I can't tell her what I saw and how I'm feeling inside. "I'm fine." I take a deep breath to unwind. "All I remember is being told I was going to the Hall of Justice. Everything after was choppy."

She probably thinks I believe she's dumb enough to fall for my fib, but I know she's not. I spazzed out like someone suffering from schizophrenia in the middle of breakfast. She clearly knows there's more to what happened to me than what I disclosed. She mentally takes note that I don't want to have a discussion about this, but part of me feels bad not giving the answers she wants to hear. "Look, I'm sorry I-"

"No, it's my fault." She interrupts me. "I keep trying to make you remember when I should be a little more patient."

I nod my head to mutually agree with her. "I guess we both have to be."

The rest of the time we spent at breakfast went quiet. Not a noise was heard for the next ten minutes except for our forks clanking against our plates, throats clearing, cups landing on the table, and our dog snoring loudly on the sofa in the living room. _I scorn the awkwardness._ I finished eating before her, but didn't want to be rude leaving her alone at the table. She finishes after her last spoonful of eggs, leaving behind half the pancakes she didn't eat on her plate. I watch Artemis gather the empty dishes to carry them to the sink to wash. Once the water from the faucet is heard I decided to go along by helping her gather the rest she couldn't carry in one trip. I place them on the counter to the side while she scrubs with a yellow sponge covered with bubbles of green apple scented soap.

Artemis notice of me assisting her with the small chore, looking up to me and scrubbing the dishes in a repeated circular motion with left her arm. "Thanks." She says as plain she can be. My eyes stay on her toned arm when flexing her bicep muscle with each circular movement. "You didn't have to. I was going to go back and get them." I face the same direction as she does during her time washing, then purposely pushing against her arm with my own. She doesn't respond, thinking it was accidental. I give it another shot, but this time hard enough so she eventually stumbles to step aside away from the sink. "What's your problem?"

I take the sponge away from her wet hands to finish the job washing the dishes. I direct a jokingly smile and after seconds realizing I pushed her out the way on purpose, she grimaces back. She catches on fast that I'm cleaning since she took the time to cook. I thought it was fair.

"When you're done cleaning go take a shower and get dressed." She heads back for the bedroom.

I pause myself from washing the next dirty plate. "Why? Where are we going?"

"Just do it." Her voice echoes from behind the closing cracked door.

There's no arguing with her, but I don't like secrets being kept from me. Cleaning the rest of the dishes is an easy task, using my speed to rush things up so we can leave. I advance for the bedroom to prepare for a shower as she requested minutes ago, grabbing a brown towel from a nearby cabinet to the side of me. I reach for the bottom of my shirt, flipping it off and revealing my bare skin. _Gosh it's chilly._ The breeze that enters from the window gives me impact that channels down my arms. I rub my shoulders for warmth while watching my sweats slip down to me feet. My plaid blue, silver, and black boxers are the next to go, but I decide to take those off before I actually step in the shower. I'm about to wrap my towel around my waist and prepare to move on when I spot Artemis entering the bedroom from around the corner of the bathroom, unaware that I'm standing here partially naked. We're both lucky a large blue towel covers her body from the chest down. It takes her a few seconds to finally acknowledge me once she makes it to her side of the bed, but when she glances at me my first reaction is dropping my towel to hide my members that I forget are covered behind my boxers.

"What the-? Hey!"

I follow her eyes moving from my face, down to where my legs are cut off from the bed and back up to meet mine. She raises her eyebrow, "What?"

There isn't a moment that I wonder what's going on in her head. "Well...uh-? Can you at least knock?"

Her eyebrow still remains in the erect position. "I was in here before you." Her jaw line exposes, tightened, and I know she's trying her hardest to prevent herself from smiling. Again, I follow her eyes down to her pink deodorant that's set on the table stand next to the bed. "I forgot this." She leisurely picks up her stick and casually backs away to the bathroom as if the predicament we're in isn't inconvenient. To make matters worse, it doesn't help that my blood's rushing in and my heartbeat's pounding. _She does look...what am I thinking?_ Our eyes stick to each other like glue. A smile forms on my face just thinking about the situation we're in. When she reaches the corner of the wall, she pauses for a moment, her view skidding down my body one last time. I fight my cheeks from blushing, signaling her to get loss with my facial expression. "Sorry. It's...it's a habit."

She tastes her bottom lip, poking her neck out enough to be seen until she disappears in the bathroom. I overpower my smile to disappear for reasons she was staring at me for that long with intent. I hit the showers later after she finishes and the two of us dress in separate rooms to avoid anymore unplanned run-ins. With the weather cool as it is outside, I decided to wear a long sleeve black top, tan cargo shorts, and a pair of black sneakers. I lace a sports watch around my left wrist to the sound of Artemis' footsteps coming to the living room. She presents herself in a brown overcoat with black V-neck shirt underneath, dark blue jeans, and black flats. Her hair is back to a ponytail, dancing along her shoulder blades with each move she makes. I stand from the couch and acknowledge her overall set of good looks. _Man she's pretty. _I prevent making it obvious staring at how attractive she is. Artemis grabs her car keys from the front table and approaches me, glaring at me like I did something wrong. She stands a few inches from me, skipping my face to study my shirt. She grabs a lint roller from the couch and brushes it against my top to rid the lint.

"I guess lint is invisible to you." She says predictably. Her head tilts slimly to the side to check if she missed against my ribs.

Each motion she makes I'm able to smell the perfume she wears. Her pleasing scent sends a reposeful vibe, making me want to be around her more to get a good whiff of her, as strange as that seems. Artemis reaches for my shirt with her free hand, incidentally grabbing a part of my chest muscle before catching the threads to my shirt to remove more lint. It was a natural flexing reaction when she caught me, causing her to pause and look at me oddly for a moment.

"You know, if you wanted to get a good feel you could've just asked." I joke with her. She ignores my attempt to flirt, keeping her face serious when she lets go of my shirt. "That's a pretty slick move though." She stops and roughly pushes the roller against my chest, leaving it there to hang. She smack her lips and proceeds to leave the house. I follow her hidden laughter snickering out the door.

Artemis had her eyes set for the city, taking us fifteen minutes out and a few blocks past Stanford University. The conversations we held during the drive were short, but normal, mostly informing me about classes I was taking during the time I attended there. We skip a few blocks down the street and arrive to a nearby local gas station. She parks her car across the street closer to abandoned apartment complexes and we casually walk down the sidewalk like a normal couple. We turn the corner, coming across an abandoned dark alley where several meters down a lone phone booth is surrounded by a few nasty trash-filled dumpsters. The foul smell hits my nose faster than I can run, making it almost complicated to breathe. I use my shirt to cover my face, but she doesn't seemed bothered by the awful scent. Mice crawling around the garbage cans scatter crossways in a hurry from our presence as Artemis opens the door from the telephone booth, showing to actually be a concealed Zeta-Beam. The machine recognizes us, shining it's bright light to our faces and within a matter of seconds we're transported from our spot to a location I'm not familiar with...

* * *

**HALL OF JUSTICE  
****OCTOBER 11, 2016 11:06 PDT**

**RECOGNIZE, TIGRESS B07 AND WALLY WEST B03**

Our destination is met to a large circular empty room that looks to be decorated for a special occasion. Several balloons full of air spread around the area floating with the words 'Welcome Home' written as the caption. To my right side are a few rows of comfortable chairs aligned perfectly in aisles similar to a conference meeting. There's a large table positioned a few feet my left that contains a bowl filled with red juice in the middle, platters stocked with snacks on one end, and a white cake near on the other end of the table with the borders colored with streaks of red and yellow frosting. In the middle has my Kid Flash design perfectly drawn with frosting.

"I don't get it." I tell her, but she doesn't reply back. "What's this all about?" Artemis remains quiet, unspoken. I can't hear her breathe. I take a step forward to figure this out myself, but a door across the room from us opens unexpectedly from extreme force behind it. "What the-?" I take a few steps back in front of Artemis to protect her for whatever comes next. It's the only door that leads us for an exit. She gently places her hands on my shoulders...

"**SURPRISE!**" A large group of people yell at us.

We watch a handful of people enter the lobby with blissful smiles on their faces, waving at us like we're strangers. I listen to Artemis chuckling behind me, covering her mouth with her hand with amusement. She planned this all along. Several people appear in casual clothing while others show up wearing personal costumes. I suspect a few of the people here are expanded members of the League that I've never met. If they're in the League and know Artemis, that means Artemis is in the League or with a team affiliated with them. _I'm so behind on life._

"What's going on?" I ask her, feeling nervous.

"It's a surprise party for you Wally!" She answers with delight.

_mixed emotions_

"It's good to see you again bud." An adult male with a familiar voice greets me, bringing me to an unexpected welcoming hug.

"You need to step back." I wasn't having it, gently sticking my hand off to his chest and lightly pushing him off me to try recognizing him. The room grows silent and I figure people are watching me, but I don't care. I don't know who he is, so I study him; he's dressed in a black leather coat with a plain white T-shirt underneath, blue jeans, and black dress shoes. Then it hits me when noticing the black shades covering his blue eyes underneath. His black hair growing past his ears makes it harder to believe. "That can be y-...Robin?"

He nods his head with a smirk. "Um, not exactly, but we'll have time to clarify that later."

_Whatever that means._ "Dude!" We bump fists.

"I thought I'd never hear your pungent voice again..." Another man approaches me from the corner, interrupting me and Dick's get together. Unlike my best bud, he's a redhead just like myself, but wearing black shades similar to Dick. He clothes a fitted dark red sweater top, black jeans, and red. white, and black sport shoes. Once I spot the deadpan look on his face with his sturdy arms crossing over his chest, I realize exactly who he is.

"Speedy?"

"You're joking, right?" He huffs.

"I'm sorry?"

His eyes roll behind his glasses after taking a quick glimpse at Dick. "Just call me Roy for now." He forces a smile on his face, sticking his hand out for a shake. "It's good to have you back."

"Where's Lian?" Artemis asks him in a whisper.

"She's with your mother." He answers quietly.

"Who's Lian?" I but in their side conversation.

"My daughter." Roy announces.

I quickly shift to Artemis and point my finger at them. "Are you serious? You two have a kid together?"

"You've got to be kidding me." Roy scowls.

Artemis looks at him with displeasure. "Lian is my niece. She's supposed to be back with my sister, but instead she's with my mom."

"Well Jade had other plans. It's not my fault she-"

"Save it." Artemis cuts him off rudely and moves past him, escorting me to the table full of snacks. "So...what do you think?" She smiles, revealing her confident smile.

_Oh my God. _This is hard for me to take in, hard to believe. There isn't an exact emotion or feeling I am having, my brain still spiraling in circles. I take a long gander around the room of the people I've never met before. There's a green humanoid-monkey standing next to a green martain with short red hair, reminding me of the Martian Manhunter except for a female version and their clothing very similar. The two smile at me elatedly. A younger version of a buff guy wearing a Superman shirt that looks almost exactly like Superman, but a bit shorter, stands a few feet behind Dick with a teenage Hispanic kid to his side. Far back in the corner stands a happy African American couple. The room is stuffed with people I don't recognize besides Dick, Roy, and Artemis, but I still found it difficult acknowledging them and looking at how much they've grown. I'm stuck in the past while everyone has move on with their lives.

"No, no, no..." _Another migraine. _I step through the shoulder's of Dick and the Superman-looking-guy to exit the room from the door they once entered.

"Wally!" Artemis shouts out my name to get my attention, but I ignore her.

I listen to my own footsteps pressing on the marble floor as I leave everyone behind. I feel like I'm being swallowed in this everlasting hall of darkness. I begin to panic, suffocating and unable to breathe, fearing that I'm lost and I wouldn't find my way back. I know eventually I'll have to find another room and with that said a few seconds later I end up in a larger domain, but to my right stands huge bronze statues of standing members of the Justice League in the order of: Aquaman, Flash, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter. _Where am I and what have I gotten myself into? _I spot sunlight gleaming on the statues from the opposite region of where they stand, a hint that a door or window has to be somewhere near. It turns out there are glass doors to my left, limitless for cover and provides entry or exit in this facility. My next thought is to abandon this place, but Artemis' footsteps grow louder in my direction. Something in my mind tells me to stay put and wait for her.

"Wally, wait! Don't leave!" Artemis shouts for me, panting heavily to catch her breath.

I turn around irately, watching her closing the gap between us just a few inches. "Why?"

"Because...I-uh...I threw...I threw a surprise party for you..." She explains, still breathless. "With all of our friends to welcome you back from being, well...you know. I thought, I just thought it'd be nice to-"

I disrupt her without forethought. "What? You thought it'd be nice to welcome me back to people I don't know?"

"But they know you. You're still their friend."

"Maybe you don't remember..." I throw my hands out in front of my chest from anger, my fingers almost striking the front of her stomach. "I don't know any of these people. I don't remember. Why would you do something like this? Did you take one second to maybe think this would be hard for me? My voice is grows louder. "I couldn't even recognize my own best friend! And knowing that all of these people have moved on with their lives and I'm stuck here in the past like a clueless idi-"

Likewise, Artemis breaks off my rage by grabbing my hands into her own that are so soft and trembling like a frightened puppy. She locks her fingers with mine, calmly bringing them down in-between us to help bring me to tranquility. The weird thing is that it's working. I was blind and cognizant that my lashings visibly made her upset, watching her fight back the tears in her eyes as her teeth clinch. My heartbeat continues to slow down to it's normal rate, my anger almost entirely gone as if I forgot what I'm upset about. _It's not her fault. _I have to remind myself. Artemis sought out the chance to serenely walk herself in my arms. I react just like any other person would, wrapping my hands around her back and smelling her perfume again. Her blonde hair tickles the bottom of my nose while the lining of my chin rest against her forehead. Her body is warm pressing against mine. I'm not feeling so lonely anymore. Her hands softly rest on my back and I feel her heartbeat just as it were my own, both beating at a rhythmic rate.

"I didn't mean for this to happen...for you to feel this way." She says with sincerity, her words meaningful. "I honestly didn't mean to. If you don't want this, we can leave and go home."

_That's not what I want._ To be true to myself I don't even know what I want. "I know what you're trying to do and this is great, really..." I pause a moment, spotting Dick in the back corner watching us. His presence doesn't bother my conversation with her, he casually leans against the wall watching out for her. "It's hard taking this in. It's only been two days and dealing with this isn't as easy as it may seem. I just need more time to...adjust. That or until I get my memory back."

"I understand." We let the air in between us pass through, splitting from our warm embracing moment and bringing our hands back to ourselves. She removes a strand of her hair from the side of her face behind her ear. "I'm perfectly fine with waiting."

"I'm glad you said that..." Her eyes escape mine to the statues beyond us. "Because this is a complicated situation."

"Then I want to help make it less complicated."

"How can you do that?" I question her.

She shakes her head, then scans her left and right to be sure nobody else is around. She timidly clears the back of her throat, "I want to ask you out on a date."

She catches me perplexed, not sure if I heard the correct words coming from her mouth. I didn't want to repeat her comment in concern that I may have heard her wrong. I ask again, but baffled "A what?" _Here we are in the heat of the moment again._ I smile from her failing ability to hold her grin back, doing her best to keeping her pride inside. Like any other girl would when a guy asks her out on their first date, except in reverse, my mind goes blank. I didn't expect her pop the question most girls dream for guys to do. She refuses to repeat her last, so I take the initiative to repeat her endmost statement. "You're asking me out on a date?"

"Like two people that are meeting for the first time." She finishes, catching herself heavily in my eyes.

I hate when she does this because I always get lost into her stare as if I'm straying in a forest. Even if she's unaware of her 'super power' of having me in a hypnotized state from the way she looks at me, it's arduous snapping myself out of it. It takes me a moment to remind myself that she's still waiting for an answer to her question "A date..." I repeat teasingly and sounding unsure. She seeks to keep a straight face, folding her arms across her chest. How can I say no to her? She is persistent, caring, warm, affectionate, and trying her absolute hardest to help me remember. For her to take the time to throw a party for me with people I technically know, is probably the respectable thing anyone has done for me. Not to mention that every guy does enjoy being see on a date with a hot babe, making other dudes jealous. _Two birds with one stone. _"I don't know. I think my schedule's pretty full."

"Seriously..." She playfully pushes me on the arm, taking hint on my sense of humor.

I look up to the ceiling and rub the bottom of my chin. "I think I can squeeze you in."

We share a few seconds of laughter before turning back down the hall to rejoin the party that awaits for us. There's no need to end the night on a bad note, especially putting all my frustration on her. Walking back, our arms tend to touch with every other step we take, reminding me of the stinging painful sensation I had earlier this morning, but less agonizing. From the corner of my eye, I watch Artemis place her hand on my back, mildly scratching my backside for consolation. My body is content, warm. It's time to set my perverse emotions aside and try to put a good ending to this day.

_I have a date tomorrow_


	4. Chapter 3

_If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything._

_-Mark Twain_

* * *

**PALO, ALTO, CALIFORNIA**  
**OCTOBER 12, 2016 16:47**

* * *

We've made it halfway through the week and its already been an emotional roller coaster having to live with someone who hardly knows you. Each morning I have to stop myself from treating Wally like he were his old self. All of my daily regulars that pertains him came to an end. There was no more giving him a kiss on the cheek each morning when we'd wake together. Helping him finish the last few minutes of his assignment before we'd leave for the class is long gone. He isn't the same guy where no matter what kind of attitude I was subjected towards having him, he'd always try to find some way to make me smile. The distance between spreads further apart. Now the house is in a gawky state of quiet. We live as if we're separated, splitting the house in half like a split couple. There hasn't been any improvement for the last few days of his memory returning. My mind loves to settle on the concept that he's never going to show sings of progress. This morning he woke up with no collection of events last night, forgetting that I threw the surprise party for him. It took me several minutes reminding him where we went, who was there, and how he almost ran off when he was upset. The rest of our morning moved off to a rocky start afterward and it was like we started off at base one again, an instant replay of how we were the day he woke from his unexplainable coma. It crushed me. He refuses to speak about his feelings, unable to open up like he used to. The good old days disappeared when he'd spit every thought out of his smart mouth, but now he chooses not to talk to me, tell me how he feels, and what he wants. I can't decide if it's because he chooses not to or if he doesn't know how to anymore. His chilling moment during breakfast yesterday morning pissed me off knowing that there was an explanation to why he went berserk, then acted like nothing happened after his moment of silence. I have to keep in mind that we're going at his own pace and not mine. These fresh bowls of stress I've been serving myself for the past four months have been a handful and this sickly feeling in my stomach continues to worsen.

My current status with Wally is just one of the many situations that's in store for me. Last night after the get together, Nightwing informed me that he, along with a few other colleagues, are to visit me for a discussion about my recent behavior and problematic actions prior and relating with bringing Wally back. It's a meeting I've forced them to put on hold until now. I'm not entirely proud on the way I handled things, cutting off my ties with the Team and League for the first three of the past four months and getting myself in a lot of dirt and trouble to get my private mission done, but in the end it's all worth it. I take a lot of pride in what I did and I don't regret a single minute with the decisions I've made, the same decisions that will cost me punishment. Knowing that I'm on the Team and affiliated with the League, there's no point on hiding or ignoring them furthermore. Asking for forgiveness is out of the picture, especially with Batman and Green Arrow on my hind. My actions were intentional, egotistic and a part of me knows I was wrong, but a much bigger part engulfs that down to victory. Unfortunately enough for me, karma hit...bad. As the end result, Wally forgets everything about me. That should be my sentence or penalty, but I know that's not the case. Dealing with the League and the Team is something I've been looking forward to. I should of known this was coming.

Coincidentally when I needed him gone, Wally left to go home to visit his parents whom I failed to reach out and inform them that their lost son is alive. I regret not being there with him for support and leaving him to explain part of how he was brought back. Soon I'd have to find a good excuse and enlighten them on why I didn't let them know first. A phone call is expected any minute now. _Busy, busy day ahead of me__._ I'd never expect to hit nearly this low to rock-bottom so quickly. This feeling, how I am inside is unexplainable. The energy I maintain is limited, so I've spent my entire afternoon sitting on the sofa comfortably wearing my light grey sweats and slightly oversized white T-shirt. I needed a day where I can relax without worrying about anything for five minutes. _Who am I fooling? _I stare at dozens of pictures displayed of Wally I have scattered across the coffee table in my living room. Some of them include him by himself distracted from the camera, then there are some with us together taken by my mom at her apartment, and him with some people from the Team. When he died, I couldn't tolerate the pain looking at them everyday when I'd come home without falling into tears. I made the challenging choice to store them in my aged Alice in Wonderland jewelry box Jade had passed on to me before she left me with my dad. Up until now they stayed in the darkest corner in my closet. He was nothing but a memory at that point in time.

Individual loose strands of my free hair dangle to the side of my face while staring at a specific picture of the two of us dressed for my prom at Gotham City High two years ago. M'gann and Zatanna advised me to wear a red strapless dress, low-cut stopping before my knees, and two silver bracelets my mother let me borrow on my right wrists. All went together with black high heels for bottoms, my hair free of wavy curls touching my back, and a bit of eyeliner to bring out the luminosity in my eyes. I wasn't too diddly with the blush, eyeshadow, and lipstick like M'gann cheered me to go for. My goal was to look good enough to impress Wally. A smile creeps on my face remembering how blown away he was once I introduced myself when I arrived. He froze like bitter-cold ice for the first ten seconds he saw me, his eyes stayed glued to me with his mouth laying open as if he were waiting for someone to set food on his tongue. His friend on the side had to snap Wally to attention and for a moment I was flattered. But Wally himself looked very handsome clothed in his all black tuxedo, holding up a white shirt underneath, and red tie to match the exact shade of my dress. I did a better job hiding it, but I was stunned by his appearance all the same.

The picture centerfold to my attention was taken by my old friend Bette Kane; near the ending of the dance outside in front of the school. I remember as if it were yesterday. I'm standing a few feet away from her, wearing the top coat of his tuxedo around my shoulders to block the cold air around us. Wally had grabbed me from behind while I was distracted talking with a friend of mine on the side, the front part of my body leaning over slightly cause of him pressing his upper body against mine from behind, wrapping his sleeved covered arms around my stomach until I couldn't breathe and his hands met, my arms trapped underneath his. Once the camera hit flash, the photo already caught him looking down at me with his endearing smile he owns and I too partially giving my own in return after realizing it was him. It was perfect timing, the perfect picture. And so a teardrop from my eyelid falls on the edge of the picture, then slipping off to the bottom rug.

_Why me?_

My memory is disrupted by footsteps outside my home. Their steadfast feet hitting the wooden stairs leading to my front door makes it evident, but I leave it be and wait for the forthcoming knocks. They take a different approach and I'm only greeted with words said behind the closed door.

"I know you're in there Artemis." I make clear of Nightwing's assuasive voice.

A few more footsteps follow him from behind, hinting that he isn't alone. I set my photo of Wally and myself to the side and approach the door like anyone else would when they'd have company. Nightwing and M'gann, both wearing their on duty uniform, stand on my front porch looking unappeased. Their expressions vividly tell the future on listening to their aggravating speeches and bashing lectures. I've expected more to be present, but they're the only two.

"Is this it?" I ask him plain as the plainest can be.

"We wanted to make this a small meeting." He answers.

I leave the door open for the two to enter, casually making my way back to where I sat previously before they arrived. I easily sense their animosity with each step they take against the wooden floor. They watch me silently reorganize the set of pictures I have placed on the table. This is already a rough start. We know what's coming next. The only thing that keeps us waiting is who's going to initiate the conversation.

Nightwing stares at me patiently for a moment. "Long day?"

"I guess you can say that." Purposely avoiding any attempt on making eye contact with them.

He releases a cheap chuckle underneath his breath, one just to get my attention. "Too busy to answer my calls, huh?" I pause my actions to consider giving a response to his sarcastic question, but I keep quiet and continue flipping through each photograph. "Cut it out with the silly games Artemis. You know why we're here."

"Okay then..." I calmly gather all the pictures I can with both hands and sloppily place them back into my box, a few dropping off the table to the floor. My eyes stay busy on those that had fallen. "Since you already know, do you want me to tell you how I did it?"

My peripheral allows me to watch him fold his arms over his chest. "We know how you did it, how you beyond the possibility, found a way to revive Wally."

_Guilty __as charged._ "What gave me away?" I ask with fake interest.

"We were told our systems were hacked and I was tasked to run prints through each member on the Team. Everything that was used inside the database room was swiped for finger prints, leaving almost no evidence behind except the keyboard. Your finger prints came out as the perfect match."

Attempting to hide my innocence is impossible and I hope he isn't looking for an apology. I try shifting the conversation elsewhere. "Who else knows?"

"Most of the League were aware of this a month before the Team, including myself. To make sure we had proof it was you, we had to look at the security cameras, but you gave us another problem with that. You did a good job at cutting off the circuitry to the cameras during the time you spent in the room. Static offered his assistance and we were able to get them working. I don't know how you figured it out, but somehow you discovered a way to override the security systems in each members profile on the Team and League without setting off an alarm." He cracks a grin. "I'll admit, I was impressed. The only two I thought could crack the code was Batman and myself."

This wasn't a time for him to admire my cleverness. I hoped my accomplice isn't in too much in this hassle like I am. "Is Guy in trouble?"

He substitutes his slight grin for a frown, "I don't think 'trouble' is the correct term to use since he was involved. The Green Lantern is in jeopardy on getting discharged from the League and the Green Lantern Corps as a whole. The other Green Lanterns are fighting to keep his spot on both sides. They're in some kind of secluded debate away from Earth."

I didn't think him helping me would cause so much fuss. I can't do anything now that he's on another planet and I'm stuck here. "So then my punishment is in your hands?"

"It's not entirely up to us. The decision will come from a few of the higher ups from the League, then Kaldur and mine."

"Then fight for me." I stand from the couch to meet eye level with him. "What I did was for good reason and not some atrocious plan being launched from the random blue. I brought back one of the founding members of the Team and if anything, not to sound cocky, but I should be getting a thank you."

He squints his eyes, "Disregarding the good that came out of this, you're missing the point Artemis. You broke into classified information about the Green Lantern Corps, more specifically top secret files on data about the White Lantern Corps that isn't supposed to be revealed by any member outside the Green Lantern Corps. You're selfishness and disloyalty has situated you and Guy Gardner in a tight spot. You misused your power and trust to-"

"To bring back your best friend!" My anger overpowers me, throwing my hands out in frustration.

"Look, I know Wally's death had an impact on you as it did for me. This doesn't give you an excuse to go through all the trouble bringing him back over personal reasons."

"Personal reasons?" This escalates from a conversation to argument, I take it for myself to approach him with my rage. We stand mere inches apart. "You want to talk about personal reasons? Okay mister high five on exploding the cave, risking the lives of several members of the Team in the hands of Black Beetle, and using Tula's death to put Kaldur in the chancy hands of his own dad just to get your mission done against the Light and the Reach!"

"You didn't see Kaldur breaking into the League's files trying to bring Tula back. He had to accept what happened to her and move on."

"You're forgetting to mention he did so only because you kept persuading him to and fortunate enough he agreed to use her death as an excuse to betray the Team and join the Light. The entire plan was your idea in the first place..." I point my finger at his chest. "So **your** mission wouldn't become a failure."

"It wasn't my mission! It was the Team's mission!" He moves his tense body closer to shorten the gap, the two of us fighting in the eyes of each others faces. "You brought Wally back for your own issues and guilt, not for the benefit for the rest of us. Stop using that as your cover story to hide the real truth."

The blood-flow throughout my body continues it's consistent rush, my heart racing against my chest. I lower my tone to keep my neighbors off my back for loud noise. I unwillingly make fists with both hands, "Don't act like you know me. My actions were not based off guilt."

"You don't have to lie Ar-"

"Shut up." I cut him off unmannerly.

M'gann takes a step forward, placing her hand on Nightwing's shoulder to calm him down. "We know you had good intentions for what you did, but you still have to face that you broke rules and there will be consequences...severe consequences." She says sounding unsure.

I irritatingly roll my eyes, turning my back on them to take my seat back. "What's the worst that can happen? Are you going to suspend me from the Team for a few months? Make me pick up garbage around the Watchtower for the weekend? Are you going to banish me to the Phantom Zone?"

"It's not that simple." Nightwing scoffs. "There's a chance you'll be removed from the Team as well, cutting off all connections with the League and the Team. I'm not sure if Kaldur and I can rebuttal this if that's the case."

_So much for all the hard work I've done to prove myself differently from the rest of my family._ My eyes glower at him angrily while listening to the words coming from M'gann's mouth. "Whatever the outcome is when this ordeal is over, you'll be monitored for the next few months to make sure there isn't any type of...subversiveness...taking place."

I turn my head away from looking at them in skepticism, fixing my eyes on the blank television screen standing across the table. My elbows rest on my lap and my arms lift to place my interlocking hands underneath my chin to think. This is becoming ridiculous the more I intensify myself in this conversation. None of this surprises me. With all the power the League and the Team has over the rest of the world, I'm not foiled knowing some of my freedom will be monitored. A small utterance of laughter breaks over the silence. "Great. One small thing done wrong and I'm judged like a criminal."

"Are you even listening to yourself?" Annoyance sounding in his voice.

"I hope we're not interrupting." Kid Flash's voice speaks from behind the cracked front door. He and the Flash step inside my home after their long distanced travel from Central City. Their appearance wasn't foreseen, clearly the disappointment in Flash's eyes is apparent. I haven't seen the two speedsters for three months, almost the same time length when I kept myself distant from the Team.

"I thought you said you were keeping this meeting small." I scowl to Nightwing.

He keeps his words to himself, taking a step back as Flash approaches me. "It was supposed to be, but Kid and I decided to come after Wally came home unexpectedly."

Seeing Bart in his Kid Flash uniform reminds me how Wally once looked in his. Nothing but a grin crosses my face when he greets me. Despite the mood is somber, he acts his normal uptempo way. "Hey Artemis. How are you holding up?"

I irately take a quick glimpse at Nightwing while he nods his head off to the side. "I'm fine."

The hostility inside here is eminent, negative energy flowing in the living room. I listen to the Flash's footsteps coming my direction, but I keep my eyes glued away from him. I watch the shadow of his hands on the ground motioning to my upper body, placing his hands gently on my shoulders, "It won't be easy, but your friends are going to put in a good fight for you to stay."

"Already sounds like to me I'm off." I grumble underneath my breath.

He hesitates to respond, looking back at the others who stand behind us in the room. "We're going to need a moment alone. Can you guys take a step out?"

"And look like a bunch of weirdos standing outside a house wearing superhero costumes? Sure." Bart answers and leaves behind Nightwing and M'gann. Before he takes his last step out the door, he turns back to face us. "Can I say something, Artemis?"

"Go ahead." Flash approves.

"What you did back there...to bring him back, with all the sacrifices you made knowing your career would be at stake to this point...it was really crash. You set up the mode big time." He clears the back of his throat, "I, uh...you've got my vote to stay on the Team, no doubt about it. Thanks for bringing my cousin back."

His words leave me speechless, going straight to my heart. My reply is with a heartfelt smile and he leaves in an instant, leaving me alone with mentor. There's not a clue to know what he wants to talk to me about in private in front of the rest of them. I'm sure I was bound to have a board meeting with the higher rankings. He stands in a moment of content, gathering his words for a lecture, so I return back to my seat again. "At lease someone's appreciative for what I've done."

"Artemis, nobody isn't appreciative of you bringing Wally back. It's how you handled the situation on your own."

"I did what I had to do to bring him back. You're the closest person to him out of everyone he knows. He was your protege. He died fighting on your side. He gave his life so the rest of us can live." I pause to point my finger at him, "I figured out of everyone combined, you'd be happy the most."

"I never said I wasn't happy."

"You sure aren't showing it."

"All of us would be showing more gratitude if you hadn't intensified your acts to another level." His voice deepening and sounding quieter. I rise from the couch and turn my back to him, facing the kitchen. It's apparent he knows. And just when I thought after briefly stepping in the shadows and coming back to light, suddenly I find myself in the dark again. "We know about the assaults, your confrontation and threats made to Lex Luthor, several failed attempts to find the Lazarus Pit-"

"Okay, I get it." The whole time someone had been watching me and I was too stupid to find this out earlier. I always thought I was getting by without getting caught, hiding my tracks so I would avoid this true accusation. If Flash knows then everyone else knows. A big red flashing alert sign must be displayed above my name in the Watchtower. Disregarding my friends and colleagues potentially new-found feelings against me, I only worry about one particular individual. "Don't tell Wally, okay?"

He sighs, "I can't make you any promises. If you'd gotten permission from the League to do what you did, you wouldn't be in this situation."

"You guys would've rejected me. I needed to do it on my own."

"Threats to Luthor? Did you really feel as thought you needed to do that on your own?" He reiterates my previous statement to simplicity and waits for a response, but I stay silent. His point was made. "You're lucky he hasn't told the world that a member associated with the League have made threats to kill him. Otherwise we'd have a lot of explaining to do as a whole."

"You know I'd step up and tell them it was a lone act."

"That's not the way things work around here Artemis. We do things as a Team, not a solo act. Maybe you will keep that in mind when our decision is made."

His cold words cut deep in my chest. No matter how genuine he tried to be, I refuse to go along with his message he jammed in my head. He spoke with confidence, leadership, and self assurance. In a way it was admirable, but irritating. He wouldn't understand me fully, as would the rest of them. I hope some part of me had gotten to him, keeping my secret away from Wally until I'm ready to tell him on my own. The Flash turns around to leave me alone as I once was, joining the others awaiting for him outside. He pauses his movement when he exits, turning back around before he closes the door in my face. "You'll be hearing from us soon."

I smirk, "I wouldn't doubt it."

He takes a second and glances and the plastic 'Welcome Home' mat outside the front of my door, then back at me one last time, "And Artemis..."

"Yea?"

"Thank you."


	5. Chapter 4

_But I know the rage that drives you_  
_That impossible anger, strangling the grief_  
_...until the memory of your loved one is just..._  
_...poison in your veins_  
_And one day, you'd catch yourself wishing_  
_the person you loved had never existed..._  
_...so you'd be spared your pain  
_

_-Ra's al Ghul; Batman Begins_

* * *

**HALL OF JUSTICE  
****OCTOBER 13, 2016, 17:03 EST**

* * *

"July 4, 2010. That's the date where it all happened...well sort off." Dick firmly plants a tray toppled with chocolate chip cookies with two glasses of milk on the coffee table in front of me. The smell of the fresh batch has my mouth watering, but frame myself from sucking each piece up like a vacuum. "You, Roy, Aqualad, and I were inducted to the Hall of Justice by each of our mentors. It was probably the most exciting day of our lives." Dick relaxes in his own seat on the other side of the coffee table from me, grabbing his own glass of milk and taking the first bite of his cookie. "Eat up."

"Six years ago." It's hard to believe no matter how many times someone keeps mentioning it to me. I take a moment to let this sink, realizing this entire time I've been accepted here and I still view myself a stranger. "So explain this guy, Bart, who claims to be my cousin and now wearing my uniform. I don't remember having a younger cousin, and you forgot to mention he's another speedster."

Dick expresses his amusement with a broad smile while chewing on the last of his self-made treat. I didn't find it amusing really."Let's fast forward six years later to earlier this year. That's where some time traveling on his part got involved."

"Then he's family from the future." The steam from the cookies hit the front of my face, the warmth urges me on to grab one. "This happened during the middle of a mission?"

He nods his head. "Yea, but you weren't part of the mission, not until the very end. After you graduated high school, you and Artemis left to California for college and retired from the hero life. That explains why you live there and not Central City."

"That's already been told already." I toss the rest of my half-eaten cookie in my mouth in one single gulp. "I take it that we were a part of a team that's already been put together."

"Dude, you, Aqualad, and I are the founding members of the Team. We discovered the teenage version Superman clone from Cadmus and added him to our group...once he calmed down that is." He pauses to drink his cold glass of milk. "M'gann and Artemis joined us later. Over time our team expanded while we continued recruiting more."

This explains the number of unrecognizable people I saw at the party Artemis reminded me of attending a few days back.. "Okay. Superboy...the guy with the Superman shirt. And M'gann, she is...?"

"The niece of the Martian Manhunter, kind of looks like him but a much more younger, female version." He snatches another cookie from the tray, crumbs slipping off his black gloves. "You had the biggest crush on her and didn't even realize her and Superboy were together until Artemis told you on your sixteenth birthday. Your attempts to flirt with her failed."

"Artemis had to tell me?" I try to sharpen back a smile. " That's embarrassing, especially being the last person to know."

"For one of the worlds fastest men alive, you were pretty slow." He laughingly jokes with me and leans his back against the couch, pressing his hands behind his head to loosen up. He sheepishly grins, "None of us saw it coming."

The next cookie in my mouth mistakenly heads for the wrong lung and accounts for me choking quickly after he finishes his sentence. I cover my mouth with my arm, "Saw what?"

"You and Artemis." He answers me as if it's obvious I knew. "You two hated each others guts when you first met and you often blamed her for every minor setback on missions we had years ago when we first started."

Like everything else I've been told that's new, this also surprises me. It lures me to know more about how our relationship evolved. Coming for a third source after my parents, I know it's literal. "I hated her that much?"

"The feelings were mutual. You two didn't need to speak to each other to start fighting. It was all in the eyes."

I figure we began with a love-hate friendship. "And throughout the course of our 'friendship' we ended up being together for almost six years? That's pretty, uh...that's pretty amazing." I reflect on the first time she smiled at me when I woke from unconsciousness, the same facial gesture that shines each morning she exhibits when we'd first make eye contact in the morning. "It's funny how things work out."

"I've had my fair share of relationships with some females here and there, and even though I'm on good terms with all of them now we've never lasted as long as you two did. Of course you've had your arguments, but what couple doesn't? There wasn't one break up in between." He breaks and starts rotating his thumbs repeatedly over another in a circular motion, his voice sounding much more quiet. "She took it hard when you died. She took it real hard. Things haven't been the same with her since."

"How so?" I flatten my shoulders from being hunched. "What was she like before?"

"How can I put this in an easy way?" He takes a glimpse at the ceiling while in thought for the moment. "She was very opinionated, but passionate about being an archer and doing her job. She had that 'kill or be killed' type attitude. There were times where she'd get pretty defensive and aggressive, but when it came down to importance, she cares about those that are important and close to her. That accounts with how you're here now."

She sounds great, but that I haven't seen much of that side of her from the beginning. "And that's all gone?"

"I wouldn't it's say gone. That side of her hasn't been seen in a while. Lately she's been more quiet, keeps to herself, doesn't really show any emotion. I thought it was a coping method and she needed her space, but I think there's more. She's really, really down. It's hard to watch sometimes." He pauses, scratching the back of his head. "You were a big part in her life."

There's nothing I can do about this. It's hard knowing when I wish some part of me can remember what it was like so we can go back to everything being normal; whatever normal was in the first place. "I never had personal experience, but I know the healing process is difficult, especially when you're trying to push on with life."

"And that's something I've wanted to nail in her head for a while, to let her know to go on with life, but she hasn't. She's been through a lot and I know it's painful..." Dick hesitates his next saying, leaving his mouth wide open, working his way to putting the pieces together. "She needs to move on."

His words slap me in the face. The chocolate taste hitting the buds on my tongue vanishes, leaving my mouth dry and tasteless. I don't know whether to take offense to his saying or actually agree. For the past few days, none of my memory has been restored and with that my feelings and emotions inside aren't very clear. My arms cross over my chest as I lean back on my seat, an angry stare mixed with confusion engrossed across my face. "You...you think she needs to move on?"

Dick avoids eye contact, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor. He knows what he said disturbed me. "You already know about my history. I lost my mom, dad, aunt, and cousin. My uncle wasn't even good enough to take me in. Dwelling isn't healthy or good for you. I know you're back in the flesh, but you're not the same. I'm not even the same guy I used to be six years ago and you know it. You two are forcing yourselves to do the improbable and I'm only saying this as your friend. Wally, you can start over from scratch, get your life back together, and possibly rejoin the Team while you're at it. There are so many things you can do, but right now you're holding yourself behind."

Is it strange that part of me agreeing with what he says? I view it as me abandoning her if I did make the choice to move along with my life. She's been working her tail off for my benefit, making it complicated to come to a decision. The day I first woke she's been by my side, treating me just as she would if we were actually together, taking care of me, constantly spitting memories about the two of us to help me remember what my life was like before I was gone so we can be way we were. That feeling claimed to once be there, the hole that was once filled with her love...it's invincible. I can't see it. I don't feel that spark and I can't find the wits to actually admit this to her. It'd break her. Unless there's something I can do to trigger the memories about who I was, I'll always be at loss. A sudden cold rush hits my backside...

_I can't deal with this now_

"Who was your best relationship?" I spit from my mouth. He dishes me a confusing look after changing the topic of our subject. I know he catches on that I'm doing this on purpose, refusing to talk about Artemis and my predicament anymore. "You said you were with some of the females, right? Who've you been with?"

"I, um..." He runs his palms against his lap a few times. "There was a girl, Raquel. We were together for a couple months. Batgirl and I had a thing going on for a minute, but we're friends for now." For a second he stops himself, likely reminiscing on one of his previous relationships and grinning off to the side. "There was this one other girl."

"This one girl, huh'?" I laugh softly, adding quotes with my fingers. "Was she the best one you had?"

"She was...she's great." As quickly as his smile crept, it disappears as if he'd been presented bad news. "Things just didn't work out."

I come to assumption that the split didn't end too well. As his best friend and to provide some kind of comfort for that brotherhood we share, I have to ask. "Do you mind me asking what happened?"

"Nothing, nothing happened. We just..." With his constant pausing, this was a lot harder that I thought. "I kept putting the job first before anything else. I was discombobulated in our relationship. I wasn't there for her like I should have been and when it came down the line with a few words thrown here and there, we mutually agreed to take some time apart."

"Sorry man." He visually shows wanting this conversation to end. I've never seem him this sensitive about a topic other than his family. I prevent myself from asking who this mysterious girl is. "Feelings still there?"

He clears the back of his throat, "I can't lie and say I don't care about her as much as I did when we were together."

"I'll take that as a yes." He doesn't confirm or deny, only taking another drink of his milk while hiding his guilty smirk. The next thing that comes to mind is his chest area emblazoned with a darkish blue colored figure of a bird with its wings streaking across his chest, expanded. "Where did the decision to become, Nightwing, come from? You were Robin the last time I remember."

He touches his insignia covering his chest. "A few changes took place in my life. After serving my time as Batman's protegé, I personally decided to take on the solo act on my own. Now I'm stay in Blüdhaven and doing the same thing there that I did in Gotham. Two more Robins took my place, but the current one is here on the Team. You'll probably meet him soon."

"I assume the Robin before him put on another identity when his time came too?" I ask.

He sets his glass cup on the coffee table with unusual force. Fists forming from his hands, his wrists tightening, he tries his absolute best to hide some form of anger he clutches inside. "He was taken from us." Dick suddenly finds the ease to calm himself inside, his fists less tense. "And we placed a hologram of himself in the Watchtower in his memory."

I sigh for my condolences. "Oh man. You weren't kidding when you said a few changes in your life took place."

"Things happen." He finally looks up to me, "Dealing with your death was hard for me too. I some took leave of absence a few months ago for personal time off to recollect myself."

_The question I've been waiting to ask for an explanation_

"Artemis hasn't told me yet. I mean, she informed me that I died, but she won't give any specifics, no detail. It's like she's holding herself back." I stop to consider the possible motive she hasn't told me is because she doesn't want to relive the situation. For my sake I need to know. "You know what happened to me, so tell me."

Dick stands from his seat, placing his hands thoroughly in his pockets and walks over the nearest bookshelf beside us. "I didn't want to have to be the one to tell you this." He takes a deep breath, "It was a day where we were victorious, but with a price to pay. We were dealing with an invasion of aliens called the Reach that were associated with the Light. After many risky missions to infiltrate the Light and Reach altogether, the end for us was coming around the corner. Lex Luthor helped us take down these MFD's set to destroy our planet."

"MFD's?" I repeat with a question.

"Magnetic Field Disruptors." He defines the acronym. "They caused a deterioration of the Earth's magnetic field and the Reach hid twenty one of them around the world. That's where we stepped in and assigned groups of the League and Team to take each one down. The Flash was the last to handle the remaining one in the North Pole, but before we knew it, it was too late. The MFD was already set to chrysalis mode, building enough energy to wipe us out." He lowers his head, his tone sounding rueful. "The Flash and Bart ran at tremendous speeds trying to add their kinetic energy with the MFD to siphon off. It was working for the moment, but it wasn't enough."

Two speedsters couldn't do it and not kinetic energy added together wasn't sufficient; it all makes sense. I know he's going to mention a third needed to be added, which was myself. I beat him to it. "I guess that's where I stepped in, huh?"

His body stays still, motionless. No sign of emotion changing in the slightest."You left the Watchtower to help without any of us knowing. When you added your kinetic energy with theirs, we thought everything was going to turn out a success." Butterflies rumble in my stomach, listening to his narration as if I were watching a movie. I'm too anxious to hear about the ending. "You were a lot slower than Bart and Flash. This gave the chrysalis an opportunity to strike you instead of your speed trails. The other two tried slowing down so you wouldn't-" I watch Dick bring his head up high, clearing the back of his throat to help bring his words together. His shoulders tense from behind, the bones from his shoulder blades becoming more apparent. His voice loses it's strength. "Flash described you as 'becoming translucent and intangible' after each hit you took. He said he tried holding on to you, but his hand went right through you." He chokes on his words, "Y-you were gone and...and, uh...t-the chrysalis finally dissipated, leaving nothing behind. Flash told us your last words to him were to convey your love to your parents..." He bows his head. "And Artemis."

Again, the thought of her reoccurs in my mind. Listening about my own death puts me in an unexplainable state, especially because I'm here and alive. "Then if I disappeared, how am I here in my own flesh and blood? Why don't I remember any of this, and why don't I feel the same for anyone or anything like I once did?"

Dick turns his full body around to face me. "Those are questions you have to ask Artemis. I only know as much as you do. Artemis lived out the rest because she's the one who went through all the extremes to bring you back."

_What extremes?_ The full truth has been kept from me by her. "Why is she holding back from telling me all this?"

He gives in a second of thought, "She may think it's probably for your own good. I know her enough and I'm sure she means well."

"Not well enough." My frustration fuels me inside and I have nowhere to go but approach Dick to throw my point across. "She didn't bother mentioning telling my parents I was 'alive', Dick. Nobody knew about my re-existence except you and your team."

"I'm sure she has a reason." I turn my around to face his opposite direction and he immediately places his left hand on my right shoulder to display a measure of comfort. "You need to confront her about everything...and I mean everything she did to bring you back. The League and the rest of us don't know how she did it and what she went through to do it. Our knowledge is equal."

This is nerve racking and I'm sure Dick views it with the bitter tone I sound off. Nobody knows how she specifically brought me back, which doesn't make any sense. If Barry claims his hands went through me, how am I here in person? How many secrets is she holding from me and for what legitimate reason? More questions lead for more wanted answers. I turn to face him, his hand slides off my shoulder to his side. "I have something else to ask."

"Go ahead."

"You said the chrysalis was hitting me instead of our speed trails." My mind winds back in time when I was eating breakfast with Artemis a few days ago. "The strikes...were they hurting me every time they made contact? I know you're not physically me, but do you have any idea what they might have felt like?"

He shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know. I'd assume it was painful. Why?"

I try imagining myself reliving the excruciating pain I experienced during breakfast that day, the same feeling I didn't want to have a discussion about with Artemis. "A few days ago Artemis asked me what were the last things I could remember. My brain went back as far to...maybe a few weeks before we were inducted to the Hall of Justice."

"Okay, and your point is?"

"When I did my best to focus, I felt this...it's hard to explain. It felt like the inside of my body got shocked." I place my hand on my forehead in remembrance. I can almost reinvent the pain that ran throughout the course of my body. "It was like I was hit by lightning, or something. Artemis wanted to know what it was about, but I couldn't explain it and didn't want to talk about it. It hurt too much to concentrate."

He passes by me to the couch and reclaims his seat while in thought. "Like I said, I don't know if the chrysalis was hurting you while you two were making impact. Maybe it's your brain trying to remember, but only bringing back the memories of the pain you experienced, then coming into a conflict of trying to recall everything that's happened to you for the past six years. It could have something to deal with your powers or..."

"No." I cut him off. "I haven't used my speed since...well the same day I had breakfast, but that was only to help clean the dishes. Other than that, no."

"Why not?"

I'm hesitant to answer, not fully knowing why I haven't used my abilities since I've been claimed to be brought back. There have been more a few situations where they would've been useful to speed a process up, but I always pushed the choice to the side and do things at a regular pace. I honestly don't have an exact answer. "I don't know. I never really needed to."

He crosses his arms over his chest again. "Do you still have your complete speed?"

"Dude, seriously?"

He laughs quietly, "I only ask cause you don't have your memory. What if you don't have as much speed you once owned?"

His logic is somewhat understandable, but not good enough knowing I used my quickness at a rapid rate to clean the kitchen. I haven't felt different as of late in a sense of a possible loss of quality, though the last time I felt normal was six years ago which is hard enough to remember.

"You never truly amassed the amount of power that the Flash and Bart possess. One thing I've noticed they can do that you couldn't was vibrate their molecules through solid objects."

Something I've always been secretly jealous that my uncle can do. "Okay, so?"

Dick strolls to an empty space next to the bookshelf to the side of us where no object is set in place, but the tan colored wall to its lonesome self. He knocks a few times with his fist. "Why don't you try vibrating yours through this wall."

"Why would I bother doing something I could never achieve in the first place?" I join him next to the empty wall space. "My powers were never the same like his because..."

"I know why." He taps the middle of my chest with his finger tip. "But with the energy from the chrysalis striking you, it could have somehow transferred or added its energy into you, making you more accessible to your powers or possibly granting you more abilities."

"Even though it supposedly killed me? A minute ago you basically pointed out there that I died after living in a moment of being semitransparent."

"Maybe you didn't die in the first place. Maybe the energy was too much for your body to handle, which is why you mysteriously vanished. Perhaps the energy inside you found some sort of balance within your body when Artemis brought you back."

"That's good to know..." I respond with sarcasm. "Except there's an empty gap from knowing how she brought me back, even if your theory is relate-able and true." He remains quiet, the both of us clueless to how she accomplished such a task. "So if I didn't die, I just vanished?"

"We assumed you died when Flash and Bart were the only two left after the chrysalis dissipated. Even one of our own was notified by his companion that you were to cease."

This is starting to seem like I'm having a conversation with the Dark Knight himself. "You've been Batman's sidekick for way too long."

"One thing that he's taught me is there's a reason for everything and a solution to anything, even if you can't see or understand it right away. There can be many possibilities that can explain how you've made it this far. I personally knew someone close to me who died and was resurrected from a source Batman and I are knowledgeable of. Course he's not here with us now, but my point is anything is possible and it's been proven time and time again. My belief of you actually dying in the North Pole is slim once I learned of your resurgence."

"Aright." I roll my eyes, "Then where did I go after I disappeared?"

He stops his theoretical speech and comes to a long halt, his head shaking mildly in confusion. "I don't know."

"You don't know." I repeat his answer, with less enthusiasm.

His irritation from my response install. "Look, I know you're aggravated and you feel lost, but I don't know all of the answers. I wish I can help more, but there's nothing more I can do. I'm only giving you my possible explanations to how you're here, but you have to take all theses questions you're asking me to Artemis. She knows everything and I'm sorry you're upset that she hasn't come out one hundred percent with the truth, but she's the key to learning about everything you want to know."

My annoyance from Artemis' lack of help has reached out to me for the time being. Part of me doesn't want to go back home to speak with her, but I know feelings have to be put aside in order to get the puzzle pieces to match together. Dick has been correct the entire time in this conversation. My impatience was kicked in gear for the time spent in this room with him. Without his help and information, I'd be nowhere. I'm thankful enough. "I'm sorry dude, I just..." I place my palms on my face, then rubbing my temples to help relieve this oncoming headache. "I'm tired of this. I don't understand, why did Artemis keep you, the Team, and the League out of this?"

He looks down at the floor, staring at his feet aligned parallel and several inches apart, his face looking distraught. His eyes squint, giving me the perception he knows the answer without having to give a thought. My suspicion of him grows the longer he's mute. He mumbles his words, "I'm not sure." The awkward vibe and sense that he's lying sets loose, but I don't choose questioning him anymore. It's obviously apparent with his avoidance of eye contact he knows I'm aware of his lie. The disappointment in him strikes hard and I take that he's keeping this part hidden from me for a reason.

_Who else is hiding secrets from me?_

I break the silence by me grabbing the last few cookies that remain on the tray and finishing off the last of my milk. He watches me as he used to back in the golden days when we were kids. He was one of the few people I was comfortable feeding myself untidily in front of; back when everything was simple, easy going, and well settled. I enter a life where things are different, heavy challenges await, and difficult decisions come into play for the next few days. I can't seem to take a break and my mind can only handle so much.

"Well..." I swallow the last of my snack after wiping the crumbs off my fingers with a spare napkin on the side, then giving him a grin in thanks for his time. "I appreciate the cookies and your help."

He pats my shoulder in a friendly manner, "You know you can talk to me anytime. Like I said, I'm sorry can't help you anymore than you wa-"

"Dude, you helped enough. Don't worry about it. That's why I'm going to go home and have Artemis tell me everything. Hopefully it'll straighten us out and clear the air."

He reaches out his hand for mine to end this in a manly, formal handshake. I accept, meeting with his firm and tight squeeze, but not expecting the strength he owns than I remember beforehand. This is different from before and something I'm going to get used to; not like how it was when we'd fist bump each other as teenagers. I come to realize he's much older, more mature, wiser, and a different Richard Grayson than the one I've came to know six years ago when he was just a freely joker with his child-like, almost little bother type behavior. And even when he's changed that much, he's still the same best friend I've had from the beginning and is here for me, just as he has been in the past. That's what makes a friendship worth a lifetime and I wouldn't trade it for anything.


	6. Chapter 5

_But when you lose someone you love, everyone tells you to "pick up and move on"  
"Don't dwell on the past. It's what he would want"  
And that makes me smile. Like I'd ever want to forget you.  
The way your red hair falls at the top of your face.  
The way you sipped your soda..._

* * *

_**BALTIMORE, MARYLAND**_  
**_AUGUST 2, 2016, 13:11 EST_**

_One white suburban two story home, a large window at the bottom floor big enough to possibly hold a living room inside. Sound from a nearby television is heard from within the strengthened walls. The second floor presents another window above, covering the interior of a bedroom and with green shutters beside the window. The house is big enough for a residence for a small family and is big enough for one person to live alone. I notice there's no decoration, no character that defines him or anything that differentiates himself from his neighbors. It's presented new as day, but I don't have to question him knowing that he spends half his time with the Justice League. I'm a long ways from home, taking my time traveling to Baltimore Maryland to finish the few of many tasks I set myself in terms of bringing Wally back. Three cement steps lead to his front door, the small porch empty except for an old brown rocking chair rocking with the mild breeze. The front window is covered with white drapes, making it impossible to see if anyone's present inside. I'd be lucky he isn't busy on a mission and actually home. Three steady knocks from my fist hit the stable door. I didn't show up in costume, though I'm here for business purposes; my personal reasons. I decided to keep this unexpected meeting casual, wearing a red hood-less coat with a black V-neck shirt underneath, blue jeans, and black flats. My hair set in a ponytail so the breeze won't trouble me with my face catching my hair._

_"Hello?" I call out to show my arrival. My ears only capture laughter from younger kids playing in the street behind me. "Is anyone there?" A few more knocks are given to his door. Goosebumps form on my skin from the chilly wind. Now I'm hoping this time he's actually answers so I can come in to warm myself._

_The rusty wiggling door knob catches my eye, the door swinging open a very tall well built Caucasian muscular man with green eyes and short red hair. Guy Gardner greets me, standing a mere several inches away from me. As I figured when I planned on coming here unnoticed, he's confused by my presence and doesn't hide showing on his face. He pokes his head from the inside, checking the neighborhood street as if I were supposed to have someone with me. "Uh...can I help you?" His voice sounding gentle, but deep._

_I choose to go straight forward with this. Enough time has been wasted already. "You're Guy Gardner, one of the Green Lanterns in the Justice League. Am I right?"_

_It's apparent he wasn't expecting a random blonde to classify him by his heroic name and confronting him like this on a random day, but he doesn't deny who is he. "And you are?"_

_"Artemis." I answer, then slowly sliding my hands against my arms to show him how cold I am. It's another way I could try preventing myself from getting the door closed in my face._

_He grins and snaps his fingers, "Oh, yea...Artemis, the archer from the Team."_

_"Yes..." I reply sounding ambivalent, though he's partially correct. That part of me, being an archer, was no more. "Can I come I'm?"_

_He makes room for me by stepping aside and I enter without hesitation. My feet step on the tile ground, transitioning to tanned carpet floor a few inches ahead. My eyes capture the bright white color on the walls, the scent in his house as if I were stepping inside a model home. To my right where the window is covered by the white drapes is a dark green couch from the length of one side of the wall that blocks the kitchen to the other. A large plasma television screen nailed to the wall crosswise from the couch displays a professional football game turned down to the lowest volume. I suppose this his man cave due to the rest of the home being fairly empty; boxes stacked on top of each other and an empty fireplace on my left._

_"You caught me on my day off." He closes the door behind me. I ignore the awkwardness of him dressed in a black muscle shirt and gray sweats, white socks. His green ring, he possess on his finger captures my eye. "Would you like something to drink?"_

_I slide my coat off once the heater turns on from above. The warmth touching my skin puts me in a comforting mood. "I'm okay."_

_"Alrighty then." He tries his hardest to hide the fact that my visit has made things awkward. "I'll be right back. Just make yourself comfortable."_

_Guy exits the living room to the other side of the wall where the kitchen holds. I listen to the faucet squeaking, the pressure of the water rushing down and hitting the sink, probably splashing from the sudden hurry since he lessens down the force. I place my coat on the edge of the sofa and settle myself down to relax. I needed to quickly figure out a way to talk with him about my plan by the time he comes back in the room, so last minute preparation is primal. Not knowing who's going to initiate this is the problem. I don't want to force us into the conversation unless need be. Taking it slow and building on from one talk to the next is the best chance I have._

_His footsteps grow louder, turning the corner with two glasses of ice cold water in his hands. "I thought you may be thirsty later on." And I was feeling it now with the dryness in my throat. He sets my own glass in front of me on the nightstand in the middle of where we sit and the televisions location. His hands collapse into each other, graciously making himself homely on the couch next to me. "If you don't mind me, and I don't want to sound rude, but can I ask you what you're doing here Artemis? Is there something I can help you with?"_

_I attempt to take a sip of water to help soothe frog stuck in my throat, but the chill from the cold glass reminds me of the shivers I felt when Wally passed almost two months ago. Immediate flashbacks play in my head of the snow that surrounded us and the lasting moment where I felt his presence, then nothing. I fall to my knees and M'gann does her best to comfort me in her arms. Nothing but warm tears cover my face and countless hours of crying in my own arms. The anguish and pain I've had to endure for so long up to recent events. I settle the glass back on the table to rid the haunting memories. My hands reach for my back pants pocket and unveil folded papers bunched together._

_"What is this, college homework or something?" He jokes after taking a glance of what I present in my hands._

_"Sort of." I unfold the first sheet of many to show him the information I own. The printed document of classified information about the Green Lantern Corps bestowed in black ink._

_"What the-?" He snatches the sheet from my hands, then staring me down with his eyes. "Who gave you this? Where did you get this from?"_

_No answer escapes my lips, only proceeding with unfolding the next few sheets. The documents I feature contains information on the Green Lantern Corps that no member outside their organization can view. Of course and that is for any case of emergency for the original seven of the Justice League. And I got my hands on them. For the past few weeks I've gained knowledge about their historical origin, the sectors they protect, the rings weaknesses and strength, every possible detail you can imagine about the Corps. I guess you can say if I ever chose to make a decision to turn against them, I'm a big threat. There's more. I expanded my knowledge on the other Corps that contains more colors of the ring, including one very specific in my search to help bring Wally back to life: the White Lantern Corps. That's the very last page I unfold. Guy aspects the White Lantern Corps sheet in my hand and he quickly takes it away from my finger tips. He studies each sheet of paper to be sure if the information I claim is the real deal. So much for me building on a conversation._

_There are negative emotions he feels inside for me and I knew this was bound to happen from the start. I showed disloyalty to him and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps the moment I stole the information from the database in the Watchtower. His power ring glows much brighter on his finger. A sense of anger and disrespect lingers inside. He clutches his fist. I slowly take a stand from the couch, slowly taking a few steps backwards away from him, my left hand reaching for my other back pocket in preparation for a potential onslaught._

_"How did you get your hands on these?" He shows fury and doesn't slowing down to pointing his glowing ring at my chest, patently aiming for my heart or other my vital organs. "Answer me!"_

_"I took them from the Watchtower." There's no point in telling a lie, especially with my life on the line. I keep myself composed. "But not for the reason you think."_

_"You have a lot of explaining to do." His gentle voice set aside in substitution for rage._

_"Then let me." My hands push out to cover my chest as a sign of protection. "But first can you please put your ring down?" I ask him politely. " I don't want to feel like you're going to shoot me."_

_"You should of thought about that long before coming here and showing me this. This information is top secret...it's top secret!"_

_"I know." I interrupt him. "It was for good reason."_

_"For what? To attack me and the other Green Lanterns?"_

_"No." I didn't think he'd rush to assumption this quickly. His ring's glow shines brighter, he adds more emotion to fuel more power. This needs to be finished now before I'd lose myself off the edge. "I know about the White Lantern Corps. I know how it can create and destroy life."_

_"You're putting yourself in a deeper hole kid. You know this isn't supposed to be viewed by anyone outside the corps. Do you know how much trouble you can get yourself into if the League finds out about this, let alone the Guardians?"_

_"I'm fully aware, otherwise I wouldn't have done what I did."_

_My goal is for him to understand that I've come to him for information that partially deals with him. If I was here to hurt him, I would have done so already. I need his help for something and I think he finally gets this in his noggin, finally allowing me to explain, though he's still untrustworthy of me. "Spill it."_

_He lowers his aim down, still at an angle where he can hit my feet if he chooses to do so. "Everything I know is in this paperwork, but it's not enough. I need to know where it's located and who's in leader of it."_

_"No." He spits flat out from his mouth. "Too much of what you know has been leaked. You never asked permission from me or the League to view this. "_

_"Because I know they'd say no if I'd asked, especially for my reason." He's quiet, figuring that I'm right. It would be hard for the League to trust someone like me with this type of material. "You can trust me that nobody else knows about this. I know how important this means to you and the other lanterns."_

_"Yet you still go above the rules and take them for your own selfish reasons." He raises the ring back to my chest. I'm aware he has a sudden change in heart. "The League will know about this. You can leave, but these documents stay with me."_

_I'm running out of options here. This would be the part where Wally would say something stupid to get us out of a situation, but this isn't the case. There's one plan I have left as my last attempt to turn his mind around before he blasts my guts open. I reach for my coat on the edge of his sofa and pull out a while envelope filled with cash inside. Yes, my goal is to bribe him for his help. It's not the smartest idea I had and I didn't think I would have to take it this far. It's not like myself to do such a thing, but Wally's life is worth it. I toss him the cash money, he uses his perception skills and catches with his free hand. "What's this for?"_

_Time to lure him in. "I know about your mother. She's sick and from some research I've done, neither you or herself have the money to help pay the bills at the hospital she stays in." How I got the money is private and some dissatisfaction shadows over me, but that's the past. It's not bad money, but the money isn't from good either. "There's about seven hundred and thirty dollars in there. I know it's not a lot to make a huge difference, but I'm sure it'll do some good." I'm sure the thought of his mother's care towers in his mind, his eyes softening while he stares at me. "I've had experience with having someone close to me in a hospital. I know what it's like to be afraid."_

_"And you think bribing me is going to help get your way?" He watches my head nod, for which that is my purpose. He takes a moment to look at the envelope, the twinkle of sadness in his eyes. I wouldn't pass up the chance to help her if I were him, but we're two different people. Two different mindsets. He tightens his grip on the envelope, wrinkling that and the dollar bills inside. His decision is difficult. "Is this blood money?"_

_.__"No." I mutter strongly._

_He takes a deep breath, bringing his glowing ring down to his side and trying to keep himself calm. Once the glow fades, I know I'm in the clear for now. "What do you want to know?"_

_"Everything that wasn't in the files."_

_He walks from the corner of the couch to hand me the sheet of the White Lantern Corps. "You've got to be more specific. Since this is a high profile subject, not all the information you seek is in the computers in the Watchtower."_

"_Okay then." I carelessly flick the sheet to the side, not bothering to review the paper to know the specifics I want. I know it by heart. It's that important to me. "Who's the White Entity?"_

_Guy coughs up a small laughter. "You've gotten that far, huh? The White Entity isn't somebody. It's an embodiment of life itself."_

_This wasn't in the files when I researched. "I'm not understanding."_

_"You didn't do enough research. That or you don't understand how being a Lantern works."_

_I grin as he bluntly tests my knowledge, retaking my seat on his couch. "I'm all ears."_

_He takes his seat next to me. "When a Lantern dies, the ring seeks for someone who's capable and suitable to take it's place as the host, or unless you're chosen by the leaders of Oa."_

_"The Guardians of the Universe, to create an orderly universe." I specify._

_"Correct. In this case, the White Entity is the same. It needs to have a wielder, the first being Sinestro." I know who he mentioned after reading his history, betrayal to Green Lantern Corps, and his rivalry with the first Green Lantern. "I'm sure you remember the mission a few years back when the original seven left for the battle in Oa. Sinestro found a way to gain the power of the White Entity and killed off the entire League. Before he can do anymore damage, he was stripped of his power by another enemy called Nekron. Luckily for us Hal Jordan claimed the ring and was able to revive the rest of the League. He managed to recreate six other rings to the members of the League and together destroyed Nekron's body."_

_I remember this taking place shortly before Wally and I retired from the League. It was one of our last missions. I remember the news spreading about the original seven leaving Earth for an important mission, but many of us didn't know what for. Since then, the mission had been a complete secret until I figured out why. "So if Nekron and Sinestro aren't holders of the White Entity anymore, who is?"_

_"A man named Allec Holland. He and one more member are the only associates of the White Lantern Corps. Everyone else was discharged from the corps after the battle."_

_The name Allec Holland is unfamiliar to me. Hopefully the next person is someone I actually know. "Who's the other associate?"_

_Guy takes a few gulps from his glass of water, "One of our own part-time Green Lanterns, Kyle Rayner."_

_And there it is..._

_Knowing he's assigned to the White Lantern Corps and is still somewhat associated with the League, this improves my chances. There's still more I need to know. "How did he become a member of the corps if he started off as a Green Lantern?_

_"Our green rings can function like a white ring if the holder can master the emotional spectrum. Kyle Rayner has done so I this case."_

_"The emotional spectrum?" I question him for more._

_He browses through each slip of paper I handed to him, looking as if I was missing an essential piece of information. His eyes skim down each line on the piece of paper he holds, "I guess it's not in here."_

"_What's not in there?" I ask._

"_Info on the emotional spectrum. It's contents and being." He takes a stand from the couch. "The spectrum is divided into different colors of the rainbow, each one set and filled with each emotion. Red, yellow, blue, green, indigo, violet..." He counts each color off with his fingers. "Then there's black and white. Black representing death whereas white symbolizes life. Kyle Rayner mastered all emotions and has grown as an individual, which is why he has become part of the White Lantern Corps._

_Kyle Rayner is the key, but there's only one more thing stopping me from getting closer to my goal. "Where's the corps?"_

_Guy takes his seat on the couch, "Outside of our galaxy, far, far away. There's no way you can possibly reach it, unless you have a ring for yourself." His last words bring frustration upon me. That's the one thing stopping me even if he gave me the location of the corps. "Now tell me."_

_My find myself gazing off to the ring drawn on the top middle sheet of the paper he handed to me. This is the answer to bringing Wally back. My focus is interrupted after a thunderous tackle is heard from his television. His words still float around my ears. "Tell you what?"_

_"Why do you want to know all this? Why go through all these measures to find something you wont come across of?"_

_I hate having to telling the story about reliving Wally's death. I keep this in a shorter version. "You said the ring creates life..." The visual of Wally's endearing smile pops in my head, if only I can see him I'm reality. I do my best to show no emotion of sorrow. "There's, um-" I clear the back of my throat to make way for understanding words. "You remember the invasion that happened almost two months ago?"_

_"I was away from Earth during the time. An update was given when I came back."_

_Saying his name is unbearable. My stomach can hardly deal with the ache that comes along with his memory. My eyes to help keep myself from breaking down, forcing my lips to spill the next words. "Then you're aware of Kid Flash's sacrifice."_

_His head and eyes drop to his carpet floor, seemingly disappointed with what I said. He mutters, "You're trying to resurrect the guy, aren't you?"_

_"Yes." My answer's full of confidence._

_Guy shakes his head in disapproval. "The resurrection of one human being, let alone someone who isn't a factor or in any relation with the Green or White Lantern Corps, is not a game where you can go and revive people when you want." He turns his to focus on football game for a moment. "They question if we resurrect one, why not bring those who've passed back to life? Death is a part of our cycle in life. We live, we die, and we move on. Everything happens for a rea-"_

_"He wasn't supposed to die. It was supposed to be me." My conscience takes me at fault for his death. My problem is I blame myself. With all the things I've been through, from making the dumbest decision I could make leaving Wally to relive my fighting days again to almost blowing my cover as Tigress from Psimon, I should have been the one to perish and take the fall. Wally's say was garbage and all he could do is sit back and watch until the very end. If I didn't join Nightwing, this would all be different and maybe Wally would be here and we'd all be safe. It's all hindsight now. The guilt I store inside poisons my veins. "His death is my fault."_

_"No it's not. It was his destiny to do what he did, just how Abin Sur died in order for Hal Jordan to become the first human to be selected as the Green Lantern." He brings his ring closer to his face in admiration. "His leadership and skills impressed the citizens of Oa and they decided searching for more humans to become Green Lanterns. I was the second Green Lantern to be chosen. It was my destiny."_

_I know dying in the middle of the North Pole wasn't Wally's destiny. There was more to him in life than that. I refuse to believe that we bound to happen. Pure garbage. The more I listen to Guy explain Wally's death was meant to be is the more pissed of I get. I grab my coat front the couch, "I'm leaving."_

_He loses his attention on his ring and focuses on me in surprise. "Wha-? What? Where are you going?"_

_I don't bother looking at him, turning my backside to exit the door. "To find Kyle Rayner."_

_"You've got to be kidding. Did you not hear a word I said?" His voice filled with irritation. "You don't know where he's at. You don't know your way outside the galaxy."_

_The sunlight shoots in my eyes once my feet hit the pavement outside. I bring my hand up to my forehead to provide shade so my visions more clear. "Then I'll find someone who will."_

_"How? Are you going to ask Sinestro for help?" He asks with sarcasm._

_I listen to his footsteps following me from behind. "All options are being considered."_

_"They're going to reject you. They will turn you around and send you back. You don't stand a chance unless you have another Lantern with you."_

_I've gotten this far to this point. My eyes seek farther than anyone else and there's nothing that will stand in my way. I stop walking across his lawn, turning my head back to him, clutching my fists. This was my chance to make one more proposition. If he doesn't accept, I'm still pushing through with my plan. "One grand."_

_He's confused with my words. "One grand what?"_

_"You out of all of the other Green Lanterns know about this. If you help me and take me to Kyle Rayner I'll give you one grand." I comb several strands of my hair behind my ears with my hands from the breeze. "Consider the seven hundred as half."_

_"You're not joking, are you?"_

_I'm very serious. This wasn't a bluff or a lie. The rest of the money I kept for this bribe is back in California. I didn't think I'd make it this far with him and from the looks of it, his eyes fall into thought for consideration of my offer. His position is tight with his mother's life on the line. It was good I looked into his background information at the Watchtower when I had the chance. Otherwise this offer wouldn't stand and I wouldn't have an opportunity for his potential help. All I need is his acceptance. "Are you going to help me with this or not."_

_He approaches me across his lawn slowly. "We get there and we leave when we're finished. There's a lot of planning to do in order for us to not get caught, but if whether we do or don't, the money is still mine and we'll part ways." He stick his hand out to wait for my confirmation on the proposal. "Deal?"_

_I'm now this much closer to accomplishing my goal. My hand reaches for his, shaking, tightening my stronger grip. "You've got yourself a deal."_

* * *

**GOTHAM CITY  
****OCTOBER 14, 2016, 16:24 EST**

_A deal's a deal_

_A deal's a deal_

_Never back down on your word_

_A deal's a deal_

It's been stuck with me since then. Guy's assistance with my mission is something I'll never forget and my gratitude for him is to my fullest extent. It's impossible for me to give him my thanks because if his punishment back in Oa. I've been second guessing myself for the past two days. Getting myself and Guy in trouble along with my struggles to help Wally adapt to his 'new' life makes me wonder if this was all worth it? Am I taking everything too far and doing too much to try getting my satisfying result that seems less and less likely to happen each minute passes? I feel like my brain has been plastered with overwhelming thoughts and feelings...I don't know what to think or do anymore. Usually when things never go the way you want them to and when you're stuck, people go to their family for guidance. I need advice. I need help. But everyone knows my family isn't your average group of kin out there. Jade and my father are two that cross out from the start. Though she's had a difficult past herself, my mother is the obvious choice. We have our regrets and in one point in our lives wanted to do better for ourselves. It's one thing we have in common.

The spare key she had given me when I moved out from Gotham City is useful, granting me access to my old home which I left her to live by herself. Of course every now and then she wasn't alone, taking care of my niece whenever Roy and Jade were busy having their time off. I'm welcomed to the television in the living room sounding off the local news channel at low volume. A few dust bunnies sweep across the floor once the wind catches up from behind as I catch my mom wheeling herself down the hallway to the living room. her smile gleams from the sight of me, quickly approaching me as if she hadn't seen me in years. It's always great to see her. No matter the condition she's in or what type of mood she's in during the day, she always kept her head high and looks to the positive side. I admire her. I need to focus on doing that myself.

"Artemis." She greets me with joy. I meet her halfway after closing the door behind me and kneeling down to her level, giving her the tightest hug I can for comfort. She squeezes me even harder, wrapping her arms around my back until her hands meet. My smile wipes away my somber mood. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

"I've been pretty busy." We let go our familial embrace. My bag slides off my shoulder to the middle of the couch, looking around to see if anything's different. All is the same even after I left. She didn't change a thing. It's nice to feel home after being so lost and feeling out of your world for a while. "How have you been?"

"Been good, been good." She says with her Vietnamese accent. She softly takes hold of my hand by hers. "How about yourself? I've called a few times, but your phone always goes to voice mail. I've been worried about you Artemis."

I pretend I don't know what she's talking about with my facial expression, though knowing I purposely neglected her calls for the past few weeks. "I've been pretty busy."

An aspect of sorrow takes over in her voice. "How are you holding up?"

Telling her about Wally's death was really difficult. I had to explain to her why I gave up retiring to return to the Team and how he died. And she knew, to spare me more pain, not to mention him, but I never told her I brought him back to life. It was an honest checkup from her to make sure her daughter is doing okay and I'm appreciative for that. I hide the gloominess in my tone. "I'm okay. Everything's okay...really.

Healing is a long process, something she has personally experienced. She takes her other free hand and massages my own, staring into my eyes to see if she can catch my manifesting lie. I don't know what's going on in her head, but she grins and scoots back a few inches. Heavy steam from the kitchen around the corner catches my eye. There isn't a foul smell, but I know if mom doesn't hurry up check on it, it'll overlook.

"What are you cooking mom?"

Before she can answer, our attention is disrupted by us listening to slow footsteps coming from the hall where our bedrooms are located. The next sound my ears catch are an innocent child's giggling and laughter. Lian

"Red snapper, vegetable soup, and steamed rice." Jade steps around the corner cradling Lian in her arms. Her appearance wasn't expected, making this a little more awkward for me since we haven't spoken for a few weeks after Wally's supposed death. She gives me her mischievous smile, pushing a few strands of her loosely thick black hair back with the free hand she doesn't use to cradle Lian. She knows I didn't know she was here. "You should know that by now. We used to eat it all the time when we were kids."

I'm not too pleased seeing her here since our last encounter, vividly showing her my non-excitement. "That was a long time ago. What are you doing here?"

"Aww...you aren't to happy to see me, aren't you?" She doesn't mind asking me to hold Lian, carefully settling my fully pink pajama clothed niece in my arms Lian and I exchange smiles while Jade fixes the left short sleeve of her plain grey white T-shirt as it was rolled up from Lian's previous movements. She unhooks her silver hoops earrings from her hair, then swiping her hands against her knees covered by her blue jeans. "I'll take it that you're still mad at me."

"Mad at you?" Our mother intervenes, turning her direction to me. "Why would you be mad at Jade for."

I don't answer my mom's question. My mouth stays shut to prevent myself from telling her my so called 'wrong doings'. Jade waits for me to answer, daring me to tell my mother truth, but my decision to keep quiet is what's best for now. Lian's playful grasp to my ponytail gives me a reason to be distracted from her question. For the rest of my visit, it's my luck for Jade to be here. Anger inside my boils like a pot of water on the stove. I take a deep breath, "Nothing."

"Good." Mom heads around the corner to the kitchen. "Since we're all here, I'll set the table for more than two. Jade, can you help?"

"Sure, I'll be there in a second." Her dark stare and wicked grin stays on me once our mom isn't visible in the room. She watches me settle Lian to the ground. "You've ignored my calls."

"Really?" I respond impolitely. My elbow happens to nudge against hers, causing a drift to her side.

"I needed you to watch Lian in the past." I listen to her turning around to put her attention back on me. "I've had some business to take care of and I was pretty tired on relying on mom all the time."

Lian puts her attention to the remote for the television, spitting bubbles from her mouth as she laughs constantly with the channel changing non-stop. I kneel over to remove the remote and grab her hands as she reaches for me, helping her stand to her own two feet and playfully keeping her on her toes. "Maybe if Roy wasn't busy all the time he could take care of Lian like a father should do."

"You don't have the right to judge what Roy and I do on our personal matters. We're not goofing around and spending our time having fun. We actually do business to keep ourselves together."

"Right." I match my palm with Lian's baby hand. Mine is significantly bigger than hers for obvious reasons, but it's nice to compare and feel her soft baby skin. I sound like I'm not giving much care into our small conversation. " Maybe if I'm not busy next time you need me I'll watch her."

"Why don't you look at me when I'm talking to you Artemis." She strongly suggests from annoyance.

I keep my backside facing her. "I'm right here. I don't need to look at you all the time when we talk."

She mildly chuckles, "You're only doing this cause you're still upset I-"

As quickly as I can, I allow Lian to fall gently on her bottom, then standing back to face Jade eye to eye. She visually perceives the anger I have for her. "Don't Jade. Really, just don't. Not today."

"So what, you're going to stay mad at me forever?" She taunts with her witty humor. "Last time I checked, we're both adults. You should grow up and stop acting like a child."

There's no getting into her head. She always finds a way to turn your frustration to yourself or back at her. She thrives on it and I'm only helping her build more on. I shake my head, coming to the decision to leave this place so I wouldn't see her for the rest of the night. She always predicts my movements and grabs my by the shoulder before I can take my first step, her grip quite strong. She moves her head closer to mine and whispers in my ear,. "I knew you were coming so I figured I'd take some personal time off and come here myself. I know mom's happy to finally see both of us 'getting along' so why don't you do her a favor and squash what we have for a few hours." She pulls away just slightly, "Then you can go back to being...however you feel towards me."

"Fine." I respond bitterly.

Our attention is intervened by our mom while. She clears her throat as she pokes her head around the corner of the wall. "Are either of you two going to help me?"

I feel Jade budge her arm against my stomach, laying her hand out as if she was waiting for me to give her something. "Once Artemis gives me a hair tie."

I roll my eyes, sliding my last hair tie from my wrist to give to her. My hair is set loose for now until I'd get my hands on another. Jade exits the living room while bundling her hair into her own ponytail, joining mom in the kitchen. I grab Lian from the floor to join the two. We watch Jade reach for plates from the top cabinet while mom lowers the heat from the stove, then moving along to grab the plate stacked with red snapper. After feeling the drool that slips from Lian's mouth, I figure she's hungry.

"Ugh...did you bring a booster seat?"

"I didn't bring it with me." Jade places a clear plastic cup next to each white glass plate on our small square shaped dinner table set for four. "She'll sit on my lap. Just wait 'till I'm finished." I take the first seat closest to the wall with my back facing against it. Lian bounces her butt against my lap and reaches for the forks and knives Jade places next to the dinner plates. Jade's hand slaps Lian's to prevent her from playing with the potentially dangerous utensils. "No." She says in a dark tone of voice. "Keep your hands to yourself."

Whatever it was, Lian's smile vanishes and she turns her head to look at me expressionless, then back to her mother while she continues her assistance. She drops her hands to her sides and leans her head back into my chest without a care of pressure she puts against my boobs. She looks up to me with her eyes, her thin auburn hair sliding along her forehead, then that widened smirk reappears. This child always finds a way to bring a cheering smile on my face with the little things she does. Jade finishes setting the table, serving each plate with a couple pieces of fish, each with a bowl of creamy vegetable soup, and steamed rice on the side. Once everything is together and the table is set, I hand Lian over to Jade after she claims the seat next my right and my mother sitting across from me on the other end. Lian quickly dives into her plate she shares with Jade when she's high enough to reach the table from her lap. Mom laughs in amusement.

"She needs to learn some manners." Jade struggles with each movement Lian's elbows make impact with her rib cage. "She gets it from her father."

I take a bite if my fish and chew it slowly. Sitting here quietly while having dinner with mom and Jade is awkward, especially when none of us have anything to talk about. There was never anything I kept from my mother, besides faking my death, but I owe it to her to tell her about my life and what I'm currently going through. Otherwise she'll always think everything's going okay with me. The awkwardness crushes me in an annoying way inside. Jade knows everything, somehow always finding a way to scratch her way through information about what's going on with me in my life, even if it's kept a secret. I know she wants me to reveal my secret. Its a pleasurable game of her own she enjoys. I catch her eying my each time she takes a mouthful of her rice. My mom stuffs her mouth with fish, then downing it with a glass of water. Back then we'd talk as a family. This is way different.

"Mom?" I mumble.

She stops mauling on her food, wiping the corners of her face with napkin. "What is it Artemis?"

I catch Jade eying my one last time, barely nodding her head just a bit for me to understand her signal. I drop my fork to my plate and lean my back against the wooden back portion of the seat. My appetite is suddenly gone. "You remember when I told you a few months ago Wally died?"

My mom drops her fork as well, her facing turning worried. "Please, I know how much this hurts you. We don't have to talk about it if you-"

"No mom, hear me out." I cross eyes with Jade. She plays the nonchalant game of not being aware of our conversation, feeding Lian a spoon full of rice. "I know when I faked my death he was there to help you cope and I know how much of his presence meant to you." I can't stand the feeling of a dry throat. " He's, um..." I bite the bottom of my lip. "He's not gone anymore."

Mom's confused for the moment. She blinks multiple times and takes another sip of her water to down the pieces of food that remained in her mouth. I think the words said from my mouth are till processing in her head. "I'm not understanding."

Jade covers her left hand over her face, mostly her nose, using her other to wrap her arm around Lian's chest to lift her above her lap. "Hmm...looks like someone needs a diaper change."

My mom scoots away from her seat to join me by my side, still giving me the look of disbelief. "What do you mean he's not gone anymore?"

"I found a way to bring him back. Don't ask how, but it worked, and...I-"

"Well this is good news!" She pulls me in for a rushed hug full of happiness.

Pretending to laugh is my only response. Though it's good news, the worst has bound to come from my lips. I gently give an early release from our hug. "That's not it. There's more." Her smile fades. Gosh, this is immense. "He's back, but..." I break eye contact from her, taking a second to get myself together from telling her horrible part. "He lost his memory." Her head lowers from the saddening news. I can't guess what or how she's feeling inside. "The reason why I came here was for some advice. I'm so..." My arms wrap over my chest. "...lost."

Jade enters the kitchen with Lian in her arms to reclaim their seat after the diaper change. My mother quickly tugs on Jade's arm as she passes by. "Jade, Jade, did you hear? Artemis' boyfriend is alive!"

Her eyes blaze on me right as she lowers herself to her seat "Oh really?" She bespeaks, not too pleased by the news. I avoid looking at her as a few seconds of silence passes. "How did this happen?"

I refused to give in details, but mom interrupts me before making some bull crap lie up. "Forget how it happened. What's done is done. I want to know what is the advice about that you need from us?"

"Please, do tell." Jade continues with her caustic remark. "I'd love too give my input to help out."

I do my best to ignore her witticism. "The thing is, mom..." Making it clear I only want her opinion on my situation and not Jade's. "I'm doing all I can to help him restore his memory, but nothing I do works. It's been almost a week and there's no improvement." My palm touched my forehead in irritation. Speaking about my problem seems to be worse than actually dealing with them lately. "I really don't know what to do. Should I give up, or...?"

I feel my mother's hand remove mine from covering my face, giving me a comforting smile in return. "Don't give up. Keep trying."

"Or you can accept your failed attempts and move on." Jade draws our attention. I don't know if she's intentionally trying to piss me off or if shes just being herself, but either way I'm becoming heated. Her eyes wander away from us while she massages the top of he daughters head. "Odds are his memory isn't going to improve. You should leave the red head behind and move on with your life. Don't be one of those people who get stuck in the past. They don't get anywhere, they don't do anything. They're stuck and eventually to their very last breath, they become alone. Nobody wants to be alone." Her eyes give off a dingy vibe. "Look at dad. See how alone he is, whether he admits it or not. He has no one...has nothing. Not a family, not a care in the world. He could have changed his ways with mom and be here with us now, but he didn't. He was too busy being stuck in the past. Too busy living the villain life and trying to turn us to that side. You remember, right? How he tried turning us against each other? Making us fight one another for what he called 'training'. How he divided us apart." It seems like this early childhood wound hasn't healed after all these years. I haven't fully recovered either. "Don't corrupt yourself, cause you'll slowly lead down to a path like him."

The room stays still, not another sound is heard, but the fan above us swiveling the cool air around us. Even our mom was touched by Jade's words. A loss of hunger in all of our stomachs, except for Lian who still enjoys her bowl of rice. A small comparison of my and my dad ticks me.

"I don't remember asking for your opinion." I grumble.

She smirks, "Don't give Artemis false hope mom. He's good as gone."

I can't take it anymore. My anger escapes from the shell. I slam my fist on to the dinner table, it shakes as if an earthquake is taking place. "Do you ever get tired of trying to get into everyone's head?"

She acts like she gives thought to my question, looking at the ceiling and bouncing Lian on her lap. "In fact, I kind of do."

"Artemis..." My mom calls to me in a caring voice, bringing my back to calm myself by tightly grasping on to my wrists in her grasps. "You've come so far from virtually the bottom. I don't want you to throw your life away and stop taking care of yourself because of..." She watches me slowly nod my head, but she keeps going. "...one boy. You have so much more-"

My teeth clinch behind my closed mouth. I can't believe this. "Stop it right there." I push myself away from my seat, getting up as I feel my mother's hand sliding away from my wrists.

"Artemis, I-"

"You want me to give up. Out of everyone I thought at least my family would give me some faith and give me the slightest hope that everything will turn out okay." My eyes flicker to Jade from my letdown. She views this, but choose to ignore me, pursing her lips and looking down to her plate after several seconds exchanging short stares. "I guess I thought wrong."

I hesitate another second leaving this place. I snatch my coat from the couch before opening the front door. My mom promptly follows me from behind, but I ignore her trailing. She roughly tugs me on the back of my shirt to stop me from exiting the open door. "Artemis, please."

I keep my back turned, "I have nothing more to say to you two. I don't even know why I bothered thinking you guys would offer me good advice in the first place."

"You asked so we gave it." Again, Jade enters the conversation. Her voice sounding exigent and full of ire. I turn to looking at her as she continues. "Sorry we didn't give it to in the way you might have wanted, but if we didn't care then we wouldn't have said anything at all." I lose the stare down battle between us. A tear meets the middle of my cheek any further feeling. "Don't leave this place thinking we weren't trying to help."

Thoughts don't come to mind, words don't leave my lips. After glancing at a baffled Lian, my worried mother, then Jade last before thinking about saying 'goodbye', I leave the house in a hurry, my teardrops the last of me I leave falling behind.

_I'm out to prove them wrong_


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's note:** ...So sorry for such long updates. I'm deployed so it's hard managing time and also writing. I hope you all are enjoying this story and enjoy this new chapter. Take care of yourselves and I will update soon. =) Thank you for all reviews as well. Bless you all.

* * *

**METROPOLIS  
****AUGUST 17, 2016, 18:36 PMT**

* * *

_Darkening grey clouds cover the skies suchlike a cottony blanket overseeing the empty streets below. The luminous moonlight is concealed from behind the gloominess and can hardly unleash its brightness, only shining like a silhouette. Rain steadily pours across the skyscrapers of Metropolis with the wind blowing violently, drastic sounds of thunder overcomes of the rain that continues to sedately smack the pavement as if there were thousands of tiny footsteps making noise. Nightly traffic clears while the weather worsens. I expect families making their efforts towards keeping their young inside from the cold and making themselves comfortable and warm. Businesses close down as evening arises and many lights upon the popular city flicker on and shine through glass windows within seconds. As more people begin to disappear to make themselves inside, we remain outside despite these conditions._

_Jade bases herself at the ledge of the Lexcorp building, overseeing the city if Metropolis from an amazing distance, the both of us standing amongst those who continue their ritual routine in their daily lives. Her hair, like my own, flows continuously with the chilly breeze. Her being in deep thought gives reason for her absolute silence and she doesn't inform what's going on in her mind. I decide to stand by her side her to give the feeling of comfort to make her aware that she isn't in any type of solitary, though I remain clueless to what keeps her mind busy. Her eyes focus in the city streets, flashing with bright white and red lights from many vehicles in collection. I doubt she can pinpoint a specific person or object this many stories high with whatever her eyes focus on, but I stand here without question. The concentration and determination glistening in her eyes explains it all, written like a child's book. She's angry. Why she's angry is a mystery and I'm not completely sure if I'm accurate, but I can define my sisters facial expressions when I see one. This mission is my own and she gladly accepted to provide protection, but what she called it as 'watching over the only babysitter that can be trusted', doesn't explain why she's piqued. She holds her mask tightly between the grip from her left hand and against her thigh, her fingertips noticeable digging into the made material. If only she'd spoke what's on her mind._

_"Remember the night dad forced us to fight against each other?" Her darkening voice catches me off guard, along with her question about our past. "I'm not talking about every time we went head to head. I mean the very, very last night we fought..." She slowly turns her head to the right to face me, her hair overshadowing her eyebrows. "Do you remember that?"_

_So I find myself suddenly feeling soft inside, temporarily losing my main focus. I hated those days. "I try to not think about them."_

_"It's hard not to." She blinks repeatedly a few times after a few droplets of water land near her eyes. Her voice stays strong, but in the same contriving intonation. "I was the first to initiate it. I started kicking you in the chest and you cried for me to stop. At first I did because I felt bad it was wrong, but dad kept yelling at the both of us to fight."_

_I hold back the flashbacks of the pain I once felt then as the seemingly trained, but helpless blonde little girl. I wish I could recycle these memories to waste. I can't lie to her about having these frightful memories. They'll stick with me for ever. "I remember."_

_She slowly shakes her head, "His voice...it was like thunder roaring over us. I didn't know what to do. I was...conflicted." She clears the back of her throat, then clenching her teeth. "So like he kept shouting at me to do, I started punching you. And you tried blocking my fists, but I kept fighting my way through them." A tear slides from the side of my cheekbone. Why would she recall a memory so horrible, so terrifying like this? Words can't come from my mouth, but she keeps going. "Neighbors around us kept banging against the walls, shouting at us to quiet down, but dad made us keep going at it."_

_"He kept screaming at me to fight back." I whisper at a decent volume for her to hear._

_"And you did, but it didn't matter." She sounds as if her voice were disappearing. "Cause I got the best of you."_

_My arms rise to swipe the tear from the bottom of my chin with my sleeve. I wasn't ready for an emotional memory like this. Jade threw me totally out of concentration. "Why are you telling me this? What does this have anything to do with what we're about to do?"_

_Jade's dark grey eyes remain on the street lines, mellow as they can be and her heartbeat steady. Her voice is timid. "Because that's when I lost control. I lost sight of who I was doing and what I was doing." She takes a second glimpse at me from the corner of her eyes. "I'm your sister, but back then...then I was a monster." She crosses her arms over her chest in shame, the mask overlapping her right arm. "I don't want you to do the same Artemis. I don't want you to forget who you are. You're the black sheep in our family. Don't switch yourself to become like us."_

"_What do you mean, us?" I ask as she turns around to face the entrance to the rooftop's door._

_She steadily covers her face with her Cheshire mask, turning her head halfway to show she acknowledges my question. "Me and dad."_

_I take a look at my Tigress mask before placing it on. "I'm still myself. Nothing's changed."_

"_That's what we always tell ourselves." I watch Jade stretch her arms out to a T. "It's out nature, how our minds use that as a defense through our thought process. We never actually see the change in ourselves until someone else notices it...or if it's obvious."_

"_You think I've changed and I'm going to end up like dad." I summarize._

_When she finishes stretching, she bends over to touch the tip of her toes, taking in a heavy sigh, "I've seen similar patterns you exhibit that Roy endured during his search for Speedy. There hasn't been anything too distinct..." Her eyes gander to my Tigress mask. "Of course, that is, a total change in costume and your new alias." She views me from head to toe. "I didn't know you were taking on your new counterpart full-time after you partially held up with your groupie a couple months back."_

"_I wanted a change." My mask covers my face to join her, approaching the opposite side of the door from her. Her judgment is an annoyance while she continues to pile her opinions in my mind. She doesn't have any idea how I've been feeling and what I've been going through since Wally's passing. I need to stay focused. The feelings I bottle inside can wait for another time for me to drab. Right now's not the moment to crack-up. I keep my head up, "Artemis, the whole bow and arrow ordeal...she's in the past. Just because I changed identities doesn't mean I've changed as a person."_

"_Don't mistake my warning for an accusation, sister." Jade replies with sarcasm, then gives a sharp kick to the handle of the door, breaking the metal knob apart. The door slowly opens by itself, granting us immediate access from the rooftop. Nothing but darkness appears ahead up us down the sturdy steps. We simultaneously drop to one knee, "I've seen how quickly the dark can overshadow the light. I tell from experience." It's apparent her statements and lecture is becoming some sort of a nuisance to me and she clearly see's the frustration on my face as if my mask isn't even on. "Look, I'm doing my best to watch out for you Artemis cause you're my sister and I care about you. I should have been there for you in the past, but I wasn't and I'm trying to make a difference. I'm warning you to be careful."_

_I don't respond immediately, unsheathing my blade from my backside and bringing it to my font. Jade takes a good glimpse at my weapon, almost as if she were admiring it. "I can take care of myself."_

_She's fast relinquishing her sais from underneath both the sleeves of her green kimono, quickly grasping on to the handle before they slip to the pavement. The sound of her shimmering weapons of display symbolizes her as hazardous figure. "Touche."_

_There's nothing to worry about_

_I can take care of myself_

_I carefully take the first step down the stairway, but I feel Jade tugging the back of my shirt to prevent me from moving any further. I turn my head to her, "What is it?"_

_She points with her finger four different cameras mounted on four corners of the walls monitoring the stairs inside. "Always clear your corners first, rookie."_

"_Right." This is my first step at almost screwing this up. My head needs to stay in the game. I pull out my crossbow to shoot arrows to destroy each camera, which turns to a success."_

"_Good shot." She comments after I hit each camera perfectly in the center of the lenses._

_Jade pushes me aside for the lead and uses her stealth to leap down the steps, skipping the first ten and landing silently to her feet when reaching the bottom. Not a sound is heard from the inside and she waves her hand for me to follow. I chase after her from behind, making our way down a couple more set of stairs until we reach the first door the leads us to the top floor of Lexcorp. We duck underneath the window showing full view at the start, I take my time to skid underneath to the opposite side so I face Jade. She quietly points up to the glass, signaling me to take a quick peek at what's going on inside. She provides motionless security to the bottom floors as I poke my head to the bottom lining of the window._

"_There's a hallway leading to another leading us to go either left or right. No guards, no employees..." I whisper while scanning the walls inside for any cameras. "Of course, one camera down the center of the hallway."_

"_Take it out." She mutters._

_I do my best to aim my crossbow for my target through the glass. My fingers lightly tremble as I touch the trigger, but I remember to keep myself calm and relaxed while aiming for something complex._

_Jade nudges my knee the side of my kneecap with her elbow. "What's the hold up?"_

"_Nothing." I whisper loudly._

_I pull the trigger, the arrow breaking through the glass making a loud shattering noise, but ending up on hitting the target and breaking the camera from afar. Jade shoots up from her knees and opens the door from the inside handle, proving immediate access for us. We rush down the halls furtively, but stop a few feet before turning to a corner._

"_Right or left?" I whisper for her to choose._

"_Pick one." She demands harshly._

_The two of us lean against the wall, providing just enough space where we don't reveal ourselves around the corner. Jade takes her time to take a peek at whatever is around the corner, then brings her head back to our side. With our backs against the wall, she brings her left sai up to the smile of her mask, the tip of her weapon lightly tapping her mask, signaling me to stay put and silent. I listen to footsteps against the white tiled floors coming closer. She quietly slides her back down against the wall to where she's bending her knees. I pay attention to the bottom corner of the wall where I see black boot take its next step. Jade's response is rapid, piercing her sai through the guard's foot with her left hand and swooping her body around the corner, tackling the guard to the ground while he cries in pain. Several gun shots go off within seconds, but after my ears catch the sounds of an important bone snapping, silence drifts. Her planned ambush lasts for at least ten seconds and then she calls for my name._

"_We're in the clear."_

_I turn the corner with to Jade kneeling over one of the fallen guards and wiping off her bloodied sai with a black cloth taken from the guard whom she first tackled, making sense 'cause of the blood dripping from the bottom of his boot. He dressed in an all black uniform with a dark grey bullet proof vest on top, black boots, and white helmet with grey shades hiding his entire face; same as the other guard who's neck appears to be out of place from its usual position. He lays on the ground as if he were thrown around the room like a careless doll. I look at her in slight shock._

"_Don't worry..." She drops the cloth on the face of the guard she stands upon, bringing herself back to her feet. "He's not dead. His neck's just broken."_

_We walk past the guards down the hall to one final door leading to the end. "I guess this is it."_

"_Well then..." She cracks the joints in her knuckles. "This saves up a lot of time...and inadvertently ruins the fun. I was just getting started."_

_We notice the door has a key that allows a code for entrance, the numbers zero through nine on a nine digit pad. "There's no way inside. We can guess the code, but-"_

"_And risk our chances for an alarm to go off and get spotted?" Jade looks up at the ceiling, then behind her. "I'm surprised there aren't any cameras in this hallway."_

"_Maybe that's why they have two guards."_

"_Two guards that should know the code." She adds._

_The two of us walk over to the unconscious guards, kneeling down and digging into their pockets for any vital information that will be useful. Because Jade picks the pocket of whom she stabbed in the foot, I select the man with the broken neck, but he comes up empty._

"_Here's something." Jade pretends to sound blissful. She wields a small black notebook from his back pocket, then flipping his body back to once he lay. We approach the door one last time for an attempt to go through. She flips through each page as I ready myself to type in the code. "Nine, five, seven, five, eight."_

_Each number I press relays a beeping sound after and once I press eight, we are granted access inside the office room. "We're in."_

_Jade flips the switch to provide lighting in the room, presenting itself with dark brown floorboards, but with nothing inside. A large window captivating most of the room display the outer city and many of the skyscrapers nearby and afar in Metropolis, lengthened from one end of the room to the other. This place is supposed to be displayed as an office, with a desk, chair, paperwork...everything an ordinary office should have. Nothing but several empty dusty bookshelves set against the wall on the other end of the room. Luthor must have evacuated along with the rest of the information he took along with him. This wasn't part of the plan and worst of all, I have no backup. We wasted our time for nothing._

"_Looks like someone slipped up and got the message." Jade surpasses me to look around the empty space which we set foot in. "He must have known you were coming."_

"_This doesn't make sense." I mutter. "Nobody else knew."_

"_Clearly, someone did." I look to Jade knowing that the voice isn't hers. Her head shoots backs to me, then we turn our bodies to the door to view Deathstroke, now rid of his ponytail, leaning against the doorway casually with katana in both hands. His attention is focused more on his weapon, but he knows we're aware of his presence. "Tigress, right? My ex-partner from the time being. You look so surprised. You didn't think it'd be this easy breaking through a man as wealthy such as Lex Luthor's office, did you?"_

_"Thank goodness you're here." Jade announces with a boring tone, slipping her sais from underneath her sleeves again. "Someone to cure my boredom. I figured something like this would happen, but I didn't think you'd arrive so quickly."_

_"You knew he was going to ambush us this whole time?" I ask her._

_Jade sets her attack stance. "Of course. Getting inside was too easy."_

_"It appears your partner is the one with the smarts." We watch Deathstroke pull his black pistol from his holster, aiming his loaded weapon at her face. "But I prefer seeing your brains spilling on the floor. As for you Tigress, I have something special awaiting for you."_

_My peripheral catches Jade tilting her head to the side_

_The moment we sense he's to pull the trigger, Jade tosses a flash bomb behind us, causing a quick explosion and shattering the glass window behind us, blinding everyone but herself temporarily. I feel pieces of glass hitting the back of my leg as I cover my eyes. My ears catch the sounds of gun shots fired from Deathstroke. He must be shooting at us even when he can't see._

_"Get down!" Jade shouts._

_I feel her body pressed against mine as she tackles me to the floor. I cover my nose with my arm to help breathe while I hear Deathstroke doing the same several feet away. Once I feel the weight of Jade's body lifted upon me, she holds me up from my backside and wraps one arm around my waist, dragging me to the edge of the shattered window. My vision becomes more clear when I realize she's going to jump, looking at the city streets many stories under us. We spot Deathstroke who's pointing both pistols for us and she doesn't hesitate to leap carelessly, taking me along with her still wrapped around her arms. We're out for a free fall, feeling the cold wind and light rain around us._

_"This is where you come in." She calmly whispers in my ear._

_She loosens her arm enough for me to reach for my crossbow. I aim for a good shot while we skip many stories by the second, then I pull the trigger. A thick black wire springs from my crossbow and breaks through the glass to attach itself to solid impact. This quick connection gives us the ability to swing forward to the floor underneath, kicking our feet in front of us to break through another window glass. We groan pain during our sloppy landing that splits us apart, sending me flopping on solid ground with broken glass following me from behind and Jade violently thrown against an office desk, splitting it in two. It takes me a moment to regain full feeling after the effect._

_"Are you okay?"_

_"I'm fine." She scoffs, still laying on her back._

_I lend her a hand to help get up, but she grabs my entire arm and pulls me to the ground on top of her. Her arms wrap around my body as if she were hugging me and shortly after, bullets begin surpassing over us one after another. At least a total round of fifteen rounds went off, then she rolls me off her body. The two of us stand to our feet and look out through the gap we created. Deathstroke stands and reloads his weaponry on the rooftop of another building several distances away from Lexcorp building and seen from the naked eye._

_"He won't stop." We watch the assassin shoot a grappling hook of his own, making contact to the floorboards in the room. Jade turns to face me for our next move. This wasn't part of the plan._

_My eyes catch a good glimpse at the side of her right arm. A clear grazed cut from a bullet against her skin, causing minimal bleeding. I'm not sure if she's aware of this. I point to her missed wound. "You're hurt."_

_She pushes my finger away from her. "Don't worry about me. I'll take care of this. Go find Luthor. He can still be somewhere in this building."_

_I follow her orders and escape through the only door leading for an exit and entrance in the room. I enter another empty hall similar to where we first started. I rush down the hall without care of the cameras watching me. I take a sharp left, but this time coming across several scientists holding a conversation down the hall, they're surprised by my presence. I run in between them without care of knocking them aside, racing by many doors that lead to other unknown rooms. My decision to make a right is chosen. By this decision I run into six security guards in a single file line heading in my direction after exiting the open elevator behind them._

_"**STOP RIGHT THERE!**" One of them shouts in demand._

_I flick two smoke bombs from my pocket and they hit the first man directly in his face. The grey overwhelming smoke is released and during their momentarily distraction, I take the chance on leaping over the first five, then bumping bodies into the last guard before rolling myself forward on the ground and into the back wall of the elevator door before it closes. I select the twentieth floor randomly and watch the door close, listening and enjoying the sight of the guards struggling to their feet while coughing. The elevator gives me the feel of being sent down several floors until I finally reach my waiting point. I suspect more guards are waiting for me, so I load my crossbow with a trick arrow. When my number rings for me, that split moment the elevator door slowly opens and to my sight are at least seven more guards standing ahead of me with their guns pointed to my body, I pull the trigger to my crossbow and unleash a powerful net that surrounds them, bunching them together as if I were catching fish. The shot is powerful enough to send them several meters back from where they stand and heavy to trap them pinned to the floor. I jump over them and dart around the corner. I finally come to conclusion that I'm just running around this place without any leads to help me. This building is full of scientists and business men who have to know what's going on around this place._

_I take this opportunity to intrude a nearby office. I enter a small room no bigger than a child's bedroom; a computer desk with a male figure sitting behind it and a few bookshelves off to the right corner of the wall. The walls a lighter shade of grey and the floors with white tiles, the room stays plain, simple and undecorated. My hand slams the door behind me to pose myself more of a threat, approaching a simple male scientist about the same height as me, if not an inch taller, dressed in an ordinary uniform, a white robe over-coating the rest of his clothes. He wears black glasses, brown hair with a matching goatee. He's shocked to see my presence and unaware of my unexpected arrival. He stands from behind his computer, his body shaking as if he were caught doing something horribly wrong. I snatch him by his collar, pulling him closer for a better sight. His name-tag displays, 'Professor Hamilton'. He continues to clinch his teeth from fright, droplets of sweat now formed at the lining of his hair._

_"Where's Luthor?" His shaky hands softly grip to my wrists in the struggle. He's speechless. I ask him again with more anger, "Where is he?"_

_"Not here!" He answers._

_I swing this man around to force his backside to make contact with the wall, delivering a certain degree of pain. He groans in agony from the outcome. "Luthor was supposed to have a meeting today with a client and they never showed up. Where did he go?"_

_Hamilton takes a big gulp, "It was canceled yesterday! There was something he mentioned about oncoming interferences!"_

_These aren't the answers I'm looking for and I'm beginning to get impatient. I slam Hamilton's back against the wall once more, then allowing my elbow to pin his neck back, using my free hand to unsheathe my blade from my back. Fear strikes him in the eyes as I bring the tip of my weapon to the skin on his throat._

_"Of you don't tell me where he is, he's going to have to hire another scientist like yourself."_

_Before I can make any movement, the once closed door behind us swings open with such force with both of Jade's sais flying in our direction. Without hitting me or Hamilton, the sais power is strong enough to knock my blade from my hand and to release Hamilton in order to prevent myself from getting cut. Hamilton gives a loud thud to his rear while the sais give a clean cut through the wall next to his computer desk, my blade slipping to the floor. Jade joins us in the room seemingly unharmed from her previous battle with Deathstroke, but filled with vexation._

_"Get out of here now if you want to live." She orders Professor Hamilton, in which he follows._

_He's off on his knees scrambling to leave the room. I go after him, but Jade roughly nudges me back with her right shoulder. "What are you doing? You're letting him get away!"_

_"Who do you think you are making a threat against a man's life?"_

_"I wasn't going to kill him." I sheathe my blade. "I was trying to scare him to get answers."_

_She crosses her arms over her chest. "How was I supposed to know that? You've never made a threat like that before."_

_"How about next time you mind your own business." I snap._

_"This is my business. You brought me into this. I didn't get grazed by a bullet for nothing." She blocks my only exit from this room. I know she isn't going to let me go until she gets the last word. So here I stand. "Listen, I don't know what's gotten into you, but you can't put your anger on other people. I saw from the cameras how you man handled that guy. You had him scared for his life. This isn't you. This was never you."_

_She's not one to talk. Her insincerity annoys me. "Don't be a hypocrite Cheshire. When you thought I was killed from the hands of Aqualad, you planned to avenge me by murdering him. You can't stand here and justify my actions when you do the exact same thing."_

_She clinches her fists. "We're two different people. The way I handle things are completely opposite from your ways. This is exactly what I was talking about before we entered the building."_

_I know what I was doing. I know I threatened his life for information, but I wasn't actually wasn't going to kill him. But as far as I went to hurting him even when I saw the fear in his eyes, I gave him pain again. I didn't lose myself...I'm still myself. Just because I've never made a threat on someone's life before doesn't mean I've changed. It was an alternative way to scare hidden information out from him. My boundary line was never crossed. And now I'm starting to sound like I'm thinking of every possible way to escape Jade's asseveration. Every possible thought to defend myself. I say no words to her._

_"Fix yourself Artemis." After she pulls her stuck sais from the wall, she heads for the same door Hamilton used for an escape. ". Or forever lose yourself."_

_Jade leaves me behind to reflect on my thoughts_

* * *

**GOTHAM CITY  
O****CTOBER** **15**,** 2016, 15:15 PMT**

She stops the rental car a few blocks away from a nearby high school, parking her vehicle alongside the sidewalk of an empty local park. The vehicle's engine stops running and Artemis takes a moment to grab her keys, but she's hesitant in doing so, only touching them with the tips of her fingers and bringing her hands back to her lap. She leaves them in the ignition. Artemis leans her back against the car seat, turning her head to look at the park outside my car window. I do the same so I wouldn't stare at her awkwardly. The park itself is empty, holding an area for kids with a set of black seated swings with cherry red poles keeping the construction together. A few meters away is a sand pit fairly wide enough for a large group of kids to play in, a cherry red colored seesaw with black seated pads in the very middle. This place must have been busy earlier in today due to a couple of buckets left behind along with several brown wet clumps of sand scattered across the pavement that keeps the sand held in from around. A few more feet to the right is the jungle gym with the same cherry red color on the bars and at the end it connects with the rest of the playground that contains the countless number of slides; a picnic area with a forest green color tent above pushed upwards and beyond. The park is surrounded not only by a seemly safe neighborhood, but is flourished with healthy green grass all around, clear of trees. I've never seen a place so alive and full of tranquility as this.

"Come on." Artemis says softly.

I step outside the passenger door and immediately feel the cool breeze seeping through the threads of my warm dark blue thermal. My hair moves with the soothing wind, a few strands tickling the top of my forehead. "A park, huh? Very nice." She opens the back of her trunk after locking the car doors, pulling out a picnic basket with a folded red blanket, collapsing it against her arm and waist. "A, um...picnic?"

Artemis slams the trunk with a grin. "You know it." She takes charge up the oncoming small grassy hill that leads to the park, entering the short trail that guides us to the entrance. "Since we have a lot of catching up to do, I figured I should bring you somewhere quiet and alone, away from all the crowd." She slows down her pacing to meet me by my side. "I hope that's okay."

"No, no... its fine." I assure her. "It's cool, really."

We walk past the swings back to the tented area where she sets all of her belongings on the wooden benched tables. I lean against the corner, placing my hands in my pockets while I wait for her to settle. The clouds above move along the sky, partially covering the sun and blocking out some of the sunlight. Not another soul is heard around the neighborhood. It's kind of nice for it just to be us. This week has been a sheer handful, but there's still more importance for us to discuss. Our ongoing game of 'pretending nothing happening' has to end today, but on a day like this...it's complicated, especially when we're on our date.

"Is it always this quiet here?" I ask.

She takes a split second to gaze around the area. "Most of the time. Every now and then there are families here, but on weekends it's usually empty."

Artemis proceeds to head back toward the swings, folding her arms across her chest while the wind brushes right against her backside, playing with her ponytail as if it were in a short dance along her back. Her black leather boots make a steady and almost soundless clicking noise with each step, her blue jeans and brown coat over black V-neck shirt doing its best to keep her warm from the every so often breezy wind. My eyes only admire the figure that's present in front of me. _What am I exactly doing with myself right now? _I follow her from behind and watch her take the first seat on the swing to the right. Her hands grasp on the semi-rusty chains that dangle to both sides of her, she crosses other right foot over the other, the front of her right boot grazing the bottom of the soft pad. She looks busy, her mind filled with many thoughts, so much in concentration while she looks out to wherever her eyes catch on beyond the park. After a few seconds of pure silence, she blinks rapidly a few times, then gracefully smiles to me.

"What is it?" She asks me strangely, but still holding her smile.

"I don't know." I take the swing to the left of her, my hands fall to my lap. She slowly rocks back and forth, a few loose locks of her hair flowing in front of her face as she leans back just a bit, then the opposite as she moves forward._ Man...is she pretty._

"So..." Her eyes leave mine to the soft padding below us. "Obviously you know why I brought you here."

"For our date, right?"

"Yea..." She answers, her throat sounding dry. We meet eyes once again. "You see that school over there?"

I didn't need to look back at the school since I already know what she's talking about. I stay focused on her. "What about it?"

"That's where we first met." She stops her rocking. "Gotham Academy."

This doesn't make sense. I've lived in Central City my entire life. Confusion is written all over. "But I never went to Gotham Academy."

"We didn't really meet each other during our school years. But there I kind of helped save your life."

Oh really?" I fold my arms across my chest, curious to how she saved me. My smile reappears. "By who?"

Artemis uses her fingers to comb her blonde locks behind her ears. "Some android that could mimic the powers of others nearby and use it against them. Before he could do any harm, I shot an arrow for distraction and he dropped you. You got free and the team won that day."

"Wow..." A blonde archer helped me out when I needed it. That's kind of...hot. Very nice. "You saved my butt."

She shrugs her shoulders and smiles off to where she tries hiding, but I know inside she counted it as something. "It was nothing."

"So you didn't join us that day?"

"No." She slowly rocks the swing forward. "We didn't speak face to face, but it's where we first had our encounter, you just didn't know it."

"So like you said earlier, we first met at the cave like you said before." I say jokingly.

She chuckles to herself while shaking her head. "Whatever. You know what I mean."

For a moment it feels like our seats have gotten closer, not with the wind, but with something inside me that sends the feeling there's some type of connection going on between us. I was curious to know what other type of situations we've gotten ourselves into, including during the span of our relationship. "If you don't mind me asking..." I scratch the back of my head, hoping I wouldn't sound nervous asking. "What are some...key pointers that we've been through?" She looks at me with her captivating smile, knowing I'm in a struggle. "You know, like certain events or-"

"Highlights in our relationship?" She finishes my sentence for me and I nod my head. Artemis rubs her palms against her lap, her voice giddy. "After we gotten through or bickering with each other, we kind of...grew close."

"What were some of the stuff we argued about? I ask out of curiosity.

"Please..." She shakes her head as her eyes wonder off to the street. "I don't want to get started on whether magic is real or not again."

"That's cause there's no explanation for it." Though that's still my belief, I mention it purposely as another joke. She looks at me with seriousness, her nose flaring up. I smile once more, can't ignoring how pretty she looks even though she's serious, her eyes sparkling from the sunlight. "Kidding."

Her frown vanishes with a smirk. "And then on New Years six years ago, we shared our first kiss." She tells me as if it were no big deal. Our eyes split ways. I bite my bottom lip. "Yea..." She continues, barely pursing her lips. "It was something else." Artemis and I are quiet for a moment, letting the air between us flow while our minds rush to think for next thing to say. She beats me to it. "And from there on..." She smacks her lips, "We started dating."

"Yea...?" I fix myself so I'm at a slight angle when facing her.

She leans forward and moves her hands past her lap till her elbows touch the top of her thighs. Again, strands of her hair flow in front of her face. "Our first date, you took me to the movies." She giggles, "You dropped your hotdog and got mustard and ketchup all over your shirt. It was funny at the time."

I laugh with her, "That sounds embarrassing."

"Oh...there were other times where you made yourself look like a bigger goofball than you actually were." Our attention is disrupted when we watch a flock of pigeons soaring over us across the neighborhood. I stop staring, but Artemis eyes are fixed on them like glue. "We were each others dates for our school's senior proms." She continues, intertwining her fingers into each other. "And we went to each others high school graduation." Artemis' eyes finally let go from the sky, looking into mine once more, turning her seat to the same angle as mine. "I was going to stay in Gotham to attend college there and take care of my mom."

"How did you end up at Stanford?"

Her eyes escape the sight of mine. She looks down to the soft pavement. "My mom told me what we had is something that she wished she could have for a long time..." Artemis' eyes fall to my lap. "And that I shouldn't give something special like that up."

Her words reach to my heart, I do my best to hide my blushing and over-exceeding grin. The love she has for me continues to stay the same, even with my mounting struggles to remember. With each minute passing that I spend with her, it seems like we grow closer and closer to each other than the minute before. But the secrets she holds from me bests the questionable feelings I have for. I still have to know what else she's keeping from me and why. Once my mouths opens for my confrontation on the next topic, she does the same coincidentally. There is more for her to say.

She sticks her hand in front of her chest. "Sorry, go ahead."

"No. Go ahead."

She releases her control on the swing, her angle going direct. Her sudden mood change has gone stricken, erasing eye contact completely from me. "I, um..." Her hands grasp on to the chains beside her again. "I know I haven't been completely honest with you. There are answers you want, but I've kept them from you 'cause I thought that maybe it'd be for the greater good." She looks at me from the corners of her eyes. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."

I guess there is no need for me to bring this topic up myself anymore. "Go on."

Artemis lifts her held up high as if she builds on self-confidence on her bounding words. "I've broke some rules in the past...some big, big rules dealing with the League."

Dick hasn't mentioned anything about this to me when we last met, neither has Barry and he's one of the founding members. "How bad is it?"

She brings her lips inside her mouth, then pursing them outwards seconds later. Artemis shows no emotion when speaking. "Bad enough to get me kicked off the Team for good. There was some private information I took from them without permission and used that to help bring you back to life." Artemis shows no emotion when speaking. She has yet maintained eye contact with me since admitting the truth. "I can't say how I did it. All I can tell is when it worked, I took you to the hospital and that's when you finally woke up from your short coma."

For her to go through what she did, without out major details, explains a lot on how she felt and currently feels for me. There's no putting that aside. It's flattering, but still curiosity lurks to what she exactly did to resurrect me. If Artemis can't tell me because of the privacy she ignored at firsthand, then so be it. Maybe now isn't the time to inform me how, but she can let me know why.

"Why?"

She looks at me as if I distracted her from doing something important. "Why what?"

"What you did, it was nice. There's no denying that..." I lean forward against my seat to get a better visual of the solemnity in her dark grey eyes. "And it's not every day where someone will go through all measures and face the consequences from their actions just to bring someone back to life. I'm very thankful." I do my best to not sound rude when asking. "But why did you revive me?"

Artemis stares at me like I know the answer, the look of where obviousness points to the top. Usually when people pass away, they leave it be because that's how life works, but why was mine that much more important? What differs me from someone like Batman or Superman?

She sighs, "There are so many reasons Wally." She lifts her head completely upwards 'till her face touches the sky. Artemis' hair falls back behind her head like a soothing waterfall, she closes her eyes in serenity, biting her bottom lip in the process. "We were living the retired life and going to college. Nightwing called me asking for my assistance on a mission he and the Team were doing." Her head slowly falls back in place, fixing her eyes on me once more. "You didn't want to me to go, but I went along thinking everything would be fine. I craved getting back out there on the field so I could get that feel...the thrill of adrenaline again. So we spent time apart from each other. I wish I could go back and change my ways so I could spend the time I lost with you again." Her voice struggles to stay strong, she pauses for one moment. "When you died, I, um-" I watch Artemis blinking continually, desperately trying her best not to cry, holding back her tears that stay trapped in her eyelid. She rubs her fingers between the outermost part of her nose and brings her hand back to her lap. She covers herself up nicely. "I couldn't forgive myself."

The past Wally did what he needed to do to save the world and that should have been it for the rest of my life. To her, I'm so much more. More to the point where she put her career, her trust, and loyalty of the Team and League on the line to bring me back just so we could be what we were again. The trait of her being a caring individual is shown that Dick mentioned to be a couple days back. All that's missing is my memory and I know it's crushing her each day when there's no progression. It frustrates me more.

I stand from the swing to glance at the route of the neighborhood street, the road leading both directions left and a right corner. I know Artemis watches me oddly, probably wondering why I'm gazing out of her line of view. "What's wrong?"

I don't answer. My mind goes back to the day I visited Dick at the Hall of Justice. His theory of my recent attempt to remember only bringing back the pain I experience when I saved the world leads me to think if I make a better attempt this time, then some part of memory will be restored. Instead of going into deep thought to remember, maybe using my speed will unlock my blocked memories. With all the hard work Artemis has gone through for me, I owe her and for my sake to get my life back to normal.

_I'm off_

My feet hit the pavement with the start of a quick jog to par of my speed, leaving Artemis and everything she set for us as our date behind. I listen to her voice call out for name, echoing throughout the empty street. My body forces itself against the wind as I race through the road, making a right turn down the block. I begin to pick it up a little faster, getting that feel as if I hadn't ran in months. I race down the neighborhood, skipping children who play in the streets with their neighbors and siblings, an older man barbecuing in front of his house with his wife, and then some. Leaves soar in the air after I rush down the pavement. Attention from the locals is picking up. I pass the oncoming stop sign and choose a different route to make another right to exit the neighborhood and re-enter the city.

"Come on..." I mumble to push myself to run faster.

I stretch my legs with each step I take to cover more ground, running faster as if my life depends on it. I rush down the local sidewalk of Gotham City, skipping an ongoing crosswalk with more people walking by. With more of the sidewalk crowded by oncoming people, I dodge in the street, almost running into car. Luckily and at the last second he swerves while shouting explicit words to me.

"Sorry!" I wave my hand to him.

I re-enter the same sidewalk, but at the next block after surpassing many, I make a quick right. My right hand grasps on the corner of a nearby miniature cafe table to help myself steer, knocking over a few chairs and hearing woman-like screams of the sudden wind of rush behind me. I enter the middle of Gotham City park, rushing throw a group of pigeons. They spot me rushing and take off in the air, leaving one of their feathers to stick in my hair. I race through the park quickly, entering downtown again but trying to find my way for an exit for an empty field. Suddenly, something that looks like an electrical spark shooting from underneath my foot. The current sting continues with every step I take. I've has foot cramps before and this feel isn't one. As strange as it feels I don't want to stop, hoping that this pain will somehow help. My eyes transition from the sidewalk to my feet every other second, with more and more sparks shooting underneath my feet. I turn my head around to view my speed trails and what's causing the sudden sparks. _Nothing._ I have to push myself. I test my limits, mentally demanding my body to run faster and faster. Currents of electrical circuits swarm around my legs like a snake engulfing its prey. For the best of the people to stay out of danger, I lead myself out of public.

"Excuse me! Pardon me!" I shout as I dart into the street of oncoming traffic.

My eyes spot a large empty field grass, nothing else on the spot at a left corner, many miles away from where I left Artemis. I'm running so fast I begin to feel my entire body going numb and literally losing my mind as it's taking me elsewhere. The lower portion of my spine suddenly returns the pain I once felt a few days back, throwing a shock to my entire system, yet I still find myself racing through the wet slippery grass.

Familiar voices sounding off in my head

_"Do you think it'll work?"_ A voice sounding much like Artemis

_"Bart, we__ have to__ slow down __more. Try to siphon off some of the energy attacking Wally__!"_ I recognize Barry's voice also.

A vision suddenly plays in my head like a tape. Nothing but black and white as if I were watching an old film, completely unaware of where I'm running in the outside. A visual of an icy plain field full of snow with a large cylinder beam of light streaming in the sky is shown and a storm in the sky. The chill from the outside hits my bones. This vision transitions closer to the action, the current older version of myself next to my Uncle Barry and a teenager running countless times in repeated circles. He tries placing his hand on my shoulder, but instead his arm goes through my translucent body. Again with another voice, this time sounding like my own.

_"Oh man...Artemis is so going to kill me for this, and don't even get me started on mom and dad!"_

As mysteriously this dream-like state came, it ends within a matter of seconds; everything goes black.

I scream in agony, the pain surpassing through my body is too much to withstand. I throw myself to the ground after not being able to handle the pain a few seconds longer. I land chest first, I throw my hands in front of myself to land first, my body pressing against the grass, sliding until my body moves no more. The excruciating pain still circuits through me and slowly begins to fade, but not fast enough. My fingers clinch the grass in order to help bare it, finally opening my eyes to nothing but the continuous expansion of the empty grassy field. Thank goodness nobody is around. My body wet, the cool wind hitting my backside, I shut my eyes and try catching my breath. Peace is what I need now. Darkness while I wait to regain my strength.

_Artemis..._


	8. Chapter 7: Part 1

**Author's Note: I'm so sorry for taking so long to update this chapter! I really wanted to make this super awesome so I've worked really hard on it, especially for the creativity. This chapter is a two-parter and has completely taken place in the past, no present day involved. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this part 1. I promise further chapters will be a lot faster =)**

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**Oa  
September 7, 2016**

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The idea on appearing in my original Artemis costume comes from it being the last thing Wally saw me wearing before he died. If the process on resurrecting him works and if there's any chance Wally needs a reminder of who I am, I'm sure my uniform will be an easy thing to spot. It's unique, though the color almost completely matches Green Arrow. But who knows what it'd be like for him to reappear out of nowhere in a distant planet far away from Earth. The last thing he needs his a shock to his system, but instead a simple reminder and a friendly face. Nobody else fits the picture better than myself. I never thought I'd see myself wearing this again, but showing up dressed as Tigress didn't seem right. I wouldn't feel completely like myself. Bringing him back will help me find myself as a whole again. This is my one and only shot I have and I've came a long way for this. There's no chance I'd back down easily or give up now. Determination is my motivation. Guy and I stand on the translucent marble-like ground, waiting for Kyle Rayner to show up on our unforeseen visit. The journey here to Oa was long. It was the first time I've been away from home on a different planet and my first time personally riding on a Green Lantern jet made from Guy Gardner's ring. His nervousness is obvious to the side of me, constantly shaking all of his fingers during our intermission. Since he's been around the universe quite a bit and personally knows Kyle, I figure he'd be more relaxed, meet up with a few colleagues, and I'd be more of the jittery one, but it's the complete opposite. For the first time in a while, hope and exhilaration fills the void in my stomach. There's that occasional feeling of butterflies fluttering inside like how I would feeling taking a test I never prepared myself for at school back then, but confidence and intrepidity overrides most of this receptivity.

"Put that away."

I'm sure my ears caught the sound of Guy's voice talking, but I'm not sure if he was aiming directly to me. I look at him confusingly, his eyes staring ahead of everything awaiting of us. "Excuse me?"

"Your bow..." He points to my aiding weapon with his eyeballs. "Put it somewhere where you don't pose yourself as a threat. The citizens of Oa may see you as danger if you walk around with that out."

Intergalactic views and perceptions of outsiders. If I were to attack, something would've been done by now. I come to Oa in peace. Then again this isn't my home world. They see things differently here. I collapse my bow in half to a smaller carrier version. "Would you like me to hide my arrows to?" I ask with sarcasm.

Guy crosses his arms over his chest. "Don't pester me kid."

Before I get the chance for a smart remark, our eyes catch a figure many distances away from us flying toward our direction in his or her lonesome. It doesn't take long for us to get the full body definition of a man drawing closer to us and I quickly make sight of another Lantern, but rather slightly different from Guy or the other Green Lantern's I've come across. Unlike Guy, his uniform isn't green and black, but instead completely white. He quietly glides along the alien-world atmosphere, landing gently on his toes a few feet away from where we stand, silent as a dwelling mouse. _This has to be him._ My heart begins to race from anxiety. He somewhat has an athletic build with natural spiked chocolate brown hair, his face clear of facial whiskers. His eyes are hidden behind his white domino mask that matches his colored White Lantern uniform, much comparable to the Green Lantern. Though it's similar, there are some distinct qualities and differences, such as the entire uniform is completely white, the visible white lantern symbol on the middle of his chest along with the rest of the interior lining of his uniform are more of a darker shade of white. His costume is laced with white energy that glows vividly. Kyle Rayner...the key to my efforts, the man I've been looking for from the beginning.

"It's good to see you again Guy." His voice warming and gentle, he welcomes his fellow Green Lantern with a kind smile.

"Likewise Kyle." Guy accepts his greeting with a firm handshake. I wait for him to introduce me, for which he does afterward. "And I'd like you to meet my partner Ar-"

"Artemis." I interrupt him coarsely for my own introduction. "It's nice to meet you Kyle Rayner."

"The pleasure is mine." Kyle continues his welcoming smile and shakes my hand next. "The two of you come a long way from Earth. What can I do you for?"

Guy and I exchange unsuspecting looks to one another as if we're trying to read each others minds to see who'd speak first. I have no problem coming out with the truth first hand, but not knowing what Kyle's reaction is to be after telling him what I know about the Guardians of the Universe and information about the power rings keeps me from doing so. I didn't want another problem with him how I did with Guy. I'd feel more comfortable for Guy explaining the problem due to their current work-related friendship. And just how I wished for, he beats me by a split second. "I think we should talk elsewhere in private and away from the city. This matter is more important than you think."

Kyle studies at us with uncertainty, but nods his head in understanding. "Very well then."

I'd feel the same way if I were him in terms of being approached by those he's doesn't see on an every day schedule, then coming to him with a problem. He wields his power ring above us to create a luminous white bubble surrounding the three of us completely as if we were trapped inside a globe. The solid shape he designs floats from the surface, using his power to guide us to another location several distances in the air away from the public. I look down at the wonderful world beneath my feet. Lights and skyscrapers from Oa shine and twinkle like stars down below. The extravagant sight sets an astonishing view much different from Earth, the first time I've step foot on another planet outside my home world. There's no reasoning to mention this for any purpose. The relocation is a swift one. Kyle sets us at an inhospitable desert like field remote from the populace, filled with nothing but dark brown sand and gigantic grey boulders, some bigger than an average building in Metropolis, all scattered everywhere. Once we touch ground, the bubble dissolves from top to bottom and allows us free. My nostrils take in the thick air to fill my lungs, the atmosphere more dense than Earth. It's much more humid than it was a few minutes ago, the stickiness feeling on my skin giving me some discomfort to my costume. The sky is covered by a dark blanket from being away from the city, no lights making it complicated to see. A touch of dark purple hinting the bottom of the sky like a sunset, somewhat giving an artificial glow much like to Kyle's costume. Several gassy stars scatter across the skies; the setting reminding me of the day I last saw Wally before he died almost four months ago, other than the plain being covered by a white blanket of thick snow and during the time of day.

"Here we are, secluded from the populace like how you recommended." Kyle says to us. "Now what's this all about?"

Guy sticks his hands in front of his chest to signal me to give an explanation. I guess this is his sign for me to take control. I roll my eyes at him while stepping ahead as I mentally prepare myself to dish the dirt. _This is it__._

"I'm going to come clean about this." I begin with confidence. He watches the movement of my hands when I explain. "This isn't easy for me to say. I've been through a lot these past couple months." All of a sudden my confidence disintegrates. I pause for a moment to turn my head back to Guy, but he grins and his polite nod urges me to press on, Kyle remains confused for the moment. I take a deep breath before moving forward, my chest flexes. "I know about the White Entity. I'm aware about the power the ring holds, its' weaknesses, and origins..." I stop when he fixes his acrimonious eyes straightaway on Guy. I continue to speak knowing he's highly piqued. "I know that it can give life and-and you-"

"How?" Kyle's voice changes from gentle to aggressive. "Where did you find this out? Who told you this?" He shoots back to Guy once again who stands his ground. He clutches his fist. "Did you tell her?"

I step in front of Kyle's line of sight to gain his full attention away from Guy. "He isn't any part of this other than bringing me here to talk to you."

He slowly let's go of sight from Guy, then paying his attention back to me. "Then how did you find out about the White Entity?"

My eyes wander off to the damp dark brown sand beneath my feet. I don't know why telling the truth seems so difficult. "I know because I stole the information from the database in the Watchtower." I wait for him to respond with an act of threatening violence, but Kyle keeps silence for a few seconds. He doesn't take any immediate action to my surprise, unlike Guy when I told him two weeks ago. He keeps his cool, yet displaying his anger through his face. He shakes his head disappointingly. "It was a choice I made for my own benefit and I carried it out, but for good reason."

"Good reason?" He repeats after me. "That's not an excuse Artemis. Is the League even aware about this? Do they know you're here?"

"They know about Artemis' wrong doings, but they don't know we're here. We've kept this a secret for a reason." Guy answers.

"As one of the Green Lantern's own you have no right to speak furthermore Guy. You knew about her infidelity, but you didn't report to either myself or the Guardians of the Universe about the leak, regardless if she's affiliated with the League or not. She's not one of the Corps. You know this rule."

"She's not not going to tell anyone. If you listen to her-"

"That's enough." Kyle interrupts him harshly. I'm beginning to see another side, the prudent part of Kyle. "Expect to soon be tried from the Guardians of the Galaxy because of the actions you didn't take and your aiding to one outside the Lantern Corps."

Guy stays in silence, irately looking down to the dirt sand. Kyle made himself clear and there was no more for an argument. This isn't going as planned and I never meant for him to get into trouble for what I did. Now I have another problem on my hands and my mission is going south. I need to make Kyle understand why I'm here and hopefully he'll change his mind and revert his snitching on Guy and myself. I turn back to view the White Lantern, "I didn't come here to start drama. I swear what I know won't go out to anyone else."

It's like my words don't matter. He points his finger to the direction facing opposite of where we stand. "It would be best if you two leave Oa now. If anyone hears of this and the Guardians are alerted, you'll both be arrested. You're lucky enough I'm giving you a head start. Now leave immediately."

"No!" I refuse, sounding more demanding and belligerent. "I'm not leaving. I didn't come all the way out here for your help to be rejected and told to leave cause you're mad about something you don't have to worry about."

"My loyalty remains to the Guardians of the Universe first. I won't go against their rules and regulations, even if you are associated with the League. Whatever you need my help with, I won't take part of." And just as Guy did when I admitted the truth to him at his home, Kyle aims his ring at the center of my upper torso. I tighten the grip on my collapsed bow, holding myself to not resort attacking him. Though he has more power than me, I bet I have a shot against him. "If you don't leave now, I'll force you to exit Oa myself."

_That__'__s it._ I extend my bow to its full form and quickly draw three arrows from my backside. Before I can align them to my bow, Guy steps in front of me in exhibit of protection, blocking us out from each others sights. "Ease it down a bit, will ya? We didn't come here to fight."

"No, no...it's fine." I tell Guy, stepping by his side to stand closer to Kyle. He keeps his ring pointing to me as I place my arrows back in my quiver. I do my best to ignore the glow glistening in my eyes. "I've read the files on how the League helped you a few years ago."

"I won't be bribed." He replies.

"If it wasn't for them, you wouldn't have the power ring you possess now and you know it." Kyle glares at me with fury, his domino mask unable to hide his ire. I smirk knowing this is getting in his head, even if it's just a little. "You us owe one. You're in our debt."

"In what way?" He snaps. "Neither you or Guy were on the mission."

This is true. I declined the mission because of a college paper I had due the night before. As a substitute, Wally was selected by Batman and Aqualad to fill in my shoes. _Checkmate._ "Yes, but Kid Flash was."

There he pauses, still maddened by our argument. Enough was said from myself in reason to inform him why I'm here and what I need his help with. Again, he shakes his head, lowering his arm as if he were in ignominy. Word must have not been passed on to him about Wally's death, so it's moderately a surprise to him. His voice light and calming just as we were first introduced to each other moments ago. "I wasn't given news by the other Lanterns about Kid Flash's death."_ Kid Flash's death_; those words still hit me hard as if they're new. I remember it as if it were yesterday, not too far back. I'm still haunted every second of every minute thinking about it. Kyle's makes a quick note I'm deeply affected by his passing, easily expressing it in slight sorrow. I turn away, my eyes moving off to the side. "You're here to try restoring him back to life, aren't you?" I don't answer, ignoring eye contact purposely. It isn't easy as it sounds. He continues, "You found out the White Entity has the unique ability to restore the dead to life, so when you figured out I was the only Green Lantern who mastered the emotional spectrum and converted my power ring from green to white, you traveled here to see if I can do you the favor in personally reviving you friend. You knew that because I'm affiliated with the other Lanterns and the Justice League, the chances of your wish being granted is higher."

_Bingo_

I shrug my shoulders when he finishes. Everything he figured out and stated is true. There's nothing else for me to say, but wait to see if he'd make a drastic change in mind. Guy steps next to me. "Kid Flash was one of the members from the Team that helped you defeat Nekron. Don't you think you owe it to him to bring him back?"

He takes a moment to think, almost as if he debating whether to changing his mind from earlier. His arm lower "I'm going to take it upon myself to believe he was someone important to you." I don't deny this true statement. The unagitated stare in my eyes explains it all. Kyle turns his back against us and takes a few steps forward, digging the tip of his feet beneath the sand. I can tell he's weighing his options, hopefully mine tilting the scale, my stomach performing all twirls and twists inside and my palms sweating. He opens his mouth to speak, "An arrest warrant will be sent out to both of you...nothing will change that regardless of the actions I'm about to do. My word stays with the Guardians of the Galaxy and I have no part in bringing back your friend. But you're right Artemis. Without the help of Kid Flash, along with the rest of the members of the Justice League, I would've never beaten Nekron and Sinestro myself."

He aims his ring for the middle of my stomach, unexpectedly shooting a white beam of light towards me that reaches a few inches and stopping in front of my abdomen. I'm not certain of what he's doing, but he concentrates heavily on the task at hand. Before I can actually make picture of what's he's creating, I notice the object is white and small with a loop in the middle, slowly creating ridges around the object; another white ring just like his own for myself. The bright light grows and flashes in my eyes, shadows of our figures shining against the sand. My elbows automatically block the extravagant brightness before me, as does Guy. Seconds pass promptly once the light dims and Kyle's creation of another white ring is complete, to the middle of the bulging outline around each side, a white imprint of a lantern on the center. The object floats in mid-air, the white aurora surrounding the ring around, as the beam of light from his ring zaps back from where once it came. He approaches me, taking the floating ring from thin air into the palm of his hands, then gracing it for me.

"I will guide you to your resurrection of Kid Flash."

_He'll do what, now? _I'm not sure if I heard him correctly, so I wait for him to repeat in case I heard wrong.

"Go on..." Kyle tells me, knowing that I'm startled. I'm not scared on taking the ring, but knowing I've never used one before and after reading how much power it holds makes this more electrifying, but thrilling. I'm more hesitant than I've been in my life. I'm pretty sure I've lost all feeling in my body. "Place it on your finger. Feel the energy. Embrace the power."

My right hand reaches for the ring, grabbing it from his hands The thing lining from the aurora on the border of the power ring continues its consistent swivel. I slide the ring through the middle finger on my left hand. In an instant my body turns warm as if someone cranked up a heater. I abruptly catch a change in my costume starting from the bottom. The pure color of white takes over the laces of my combat boots from the overall color of black, the threads easily darkening with an aphotic shade of white. "Whoa...! What-...what's happening?" I ask him in fright, but he nor Guy gives me an answer and only continue watching. The achromatic color continues to climb up my legs, transforming my pants, knee pads, and utility belt strapped to my left leg from my different colored shades of green and black to what matches my boots. The visual property quickly surpasses my actual flesh itself and reaches to the bottom of my top, ascending through the threads and catching the arrow logo on my chest, thus changing the coloring from the lighter green to white. The visual ends at my neck, assuming in which the power ring alters all the finishing points of my mask. Much like Kyle Rayner's, and in the end, my costume glows with white energy within the fabrics. It's an entirely different change, giving me more feel of power which I've never felt before. A new found sense of strength emerges, I can feel it through my veins. And even as I'm still in adjustment with the energy I behold and power I possess, I remain in mental stupor from the quick change.

"Don't worry." Guy says to me, catching me off guard while I continue studying every inch of white on my costume. "You look fine. Once you remove the power ring from your finger, your costume will change back to normal."

I scan at my bow that matches the exact color of my outfit, including my quiver and on the ends of my arrows as I look over my shoulder. "I hope so..."

"You are now technically a White Lantern, Artemis." Kyle announces.

I collapse my bow back to its smaller version. I'm not sure how too feel. "I, um...Thanks, but why do I 'm have to be a White Lantern to do this?"

"Because I won't be the one who'll be resurrecting your deceased friend. You are."

"Me?" I point to myself I shock. "I don't have any experience in using a power ring, so what makes you think I'd be suitable for the job? Why can't you do it?"

"Because Artemis, reviving one that's gone is more complex than you think. As you already know from your recent studies, the ring lets the user create white energy constructed power by life itself. The size, complexity, and strength of your creation is limited only by your willpower. Whatever you imagine, in this case Kid Flash, the ring will recreate from resurrection. You know of his physical stature, his personality, qualities of what makes Kid Flash himself, traits...everything that I don't. If there's anyone who best suits bringing him back to life, it's you."

My confidence juggles up and down. I don't suppose he'd let me stay in Oa to learn the basics before performing something complicated like this. I have no clue to knowing how to operate the weapon. I bring my power ring to my chest in a fist. "Okay, this shouldn't be too hard."

"I'm not trying to scare you Artemis, but this task is a lot harder than you think." Kyle continues. "My ring isn't from the source of the White Entity. I have a white ring because I've mastered the emotional spectrum; seven colors of the rainbow that represents a specific emotion. You must master each emotional in order to complete such a task in resurrection of one or multiple beings. Completing this task takes practice, patience, and time. I don't expect you to get this right the first time."

"Mastering each emotion..." I recall back in time to when I read those that were listed. "Rage, greed, fear, hope, compassion, love, death, and life."

"You're correct." He answers.

"So I'm underqualified."

"Far off than you can imagine. These emotions are not negative if used correctly. You must obtain complete focus during your 'recreation' if so you will." His voice deepens. "One minor mistake...one slip up, one moment of you losing focus and you may not be successful in your attempt.

I turn to Guy. "Staying focus and concentrated is key. Sounds easy enough, right?"

"That's just one portion of this process." Kyle brings his ring closer to his domino mask. "If the ring's power overwhelms the user during this procedure, the power can destroy the user. You must control it instead of it controlling you. You're more of an easier target since you've never mastered the emotional spectrum."

"How low are the odds her of surviving this?" Guy asks.

"In all honesty, she has less of a percent chance on achieving both her goal and survival." He answers.

"There's still a percentage." I say with courage.

"Are you sure you really want to do this?" Guy asks me. "Do you really think this is worth your life?"

I give Guy a smirk of certainty. "Wally was my life...or at least part of it."

There's no doubt in my mind I want this. If Wally can risk his life for the world to live and press on, then it can't hurt for me to try sacrificing my life to bring him back. His time here wasn't done. The chances are low for me surviving through this ordeal, then I'd be leaving everyone back home to suffer, including my mother, Jade, and Lian. I hurt them enough already when I faked my death all those months ago. But this is real. The decision puts a hefty load on my shoulders, but I went through a lot to get to this point. I'm not going to let this one chance slip away and go to waste. There's no backing down. The time to staying poise is now, focusing and concentrating on what I want. It's always the underdogs that achieve their greatest feats. My time is now.

"Let's get this done." Kyle accepts my decision and nods his head, making his way to my direction and standing by my side. After handing him my bow, Guy takes a few steps backwards behind us. I turn my body around to face him. "You know what to do if this doesn't work, right?"

"I know Artemis. I know." He answers. "Good luck kid."

Jitters flows throughout my entire body. This would be the most challenging task I've ever taken upon myself doing, but I'm eager to getting this done and bring Wally home. I face the vast empty desert field ahead of us...

"Remember, the ring is only limited by your willpower. Whatever you imagine, the ring will create. Harness your energy to your creation. Apply all what you know and don't lose focus."

Kyle aims his ring for the open space ahead, shining yet another streak of light. The stream shoots out several yards in front of us in the shape of a white glowing ball of energy flow, from that point morphing to the shape of a large rectangle almost twice our height. The rectangular form exceeds it's height and length, expanding across the sandy plain almost to half the size of a football field. The force pushes some of the sand aside as if there is wind, the energy steadily blowing in our faces. I can feel my ponytail wiggling against my shoulder blades. I begin to think I need sunglasses because of the light shining in my eyes, hitting the direct focal point of my retina. It reminds me of our sun back home, temporarily blinding me for a seconds. I squint, but the brightness doesn't bother Kyle. He continues to make his shape longer and taller until he's very well satisfied with what he's got. The stars in the sky aren't visible anymore because of the light that's represented in front of us. The white rectangular shape is as tall as a three story home and wide as three fourths a football field, almost comparing the front to a portal type protective field and we stand at the very middle of it. The energy from his ring, his willpower, is amassed in his wall-like creation.

"Take control of it!" He orders me, his voice a bit louder to overcome the noise protruding from the wall. "Take control of it before it dissipates!"

"I don't get it! Why did you create a huge wall?"

"It's pure energy from the ring! Use it to re-create Kid Flash! To make this easier, re-live the moment he died; recall on his personality, his physical features, what he was wearing...everything! Do it before the energy dies!"

I can't believe I'm doing this. My emotions make an unexpected turn and I suddenly feel like I'm not ready for this. For the moment I actually consider giving up and not wanting to do this anymore, feeling unprepared. Like the old saying goes, everything happens for a reason. If I give up now, I'd never forgive myself and never get the chance to do this again. I lift my trembling arm up enough to the same extent of Kyle's, closing my eyes in panic.

I stand with my feet parallel to each other, at least separated twelve inches apart. My back straight, arms calm and to my side except for my left, risen for preparation with a fist made and my power ring aiming for the energized wall. _Okay power ring...__don't screw me over. Sh__oot at the wall like Kyle_. I think to myself. I'm astounded when, at my will, an amount of energy exerts from my ring, shooting a white beam and making solid connection to the standing platform. It was that easy, seemingly if I barely needed to try. I can feel myself taking partial control of the power his ring puts into the wall, a protective aurora now complete in covering my body from head to toe.

"Artemis!" He shouts to me, the noise from the wall tuning up louder and making it harder to hear when speaking to a normal standard tone. It was probably because of the experience I lack. I don't look to him, trying to maintain the focus he told me to hold earlier. The sand around us sweeps against my feet. He calls for me again, "Artemis!"

"What?" I shout back to answer, tilting my head to the side to show some acknowledgment.

"I'm going to let go! Remember...don't lose your focus!"

He does what he intends to do, relieving his ring from the duty on holding up the wall, making me in full control with the rest of my actions. The force is now much different, the feeling of taking on a heavy load of weight on top of my shoulders. I struggle to hold my shoulder up, using my other free hand to grab my left wrist in attempt to help keep it steady. I grunt from the pressure on my arm, the noise in front of me growing, almost as loud as the chrysalis strikes that killed Wally.

My next mindset is the emotional spectrum, all seven colors of the rainbow and the meaning of each. It's almost like I click tabs on the internet, shifting one part of my brain to reflect on each meaning of the colors. First in mind, the **rage** I felt when time had passed over Wally's death. I blamed his death on the aliens that attempted to invade Earth, then Luthor, and myself. I let my rage get to me to the point where I was acting more hostile and angry at those who weren't involved with his death. I'll never let me rage take over me again. Secondly, my emotion of **greed** I dealt on wanting to bring Wally back, disregarding the rules I went against and the trust I've lost from my comrades. The emotion of **fear** I experienced when watching Wally sacrifice his life to save the world. I didn't think it would end so tragically like so, but it happened and I lost him completely. I never got the chance to say goodbye. The emotion of **will****power** I had in taking all the necessary steps in my plan book to get to the spot I'm at now. I've had so much **hope** to this point to bring him back. Now my outlook is surviving this ordeal and accomplishing my mission. Emotion of **compassion** I have for Wally and how much he's touched my heart over the past six years of my life. Finally, the **love** Wally and I share since the beginning, till the moment the Flash told me his last words was he loved me. My love for him never went away and no matter this outcome, to my dying breath, my love for Wally will always last. It's that simple.

The emotion of **death **will be nothing but a memory when I revive him. And finally, my emotions of **life** itself, the reason I'm here to begin with. I'm risking all that I have left to bring him back and if that includes sacrificing my own, so be it.

So I visualize the day I last saw him, he with the other two speedsters repeatedly racing in circles as fast as they could, the chrysalis striking Wally and delivering him agonizing pain. I go more into depth, the moment he left me and the rest of the Team and League in the watchtower; the last kiss we shared in Paris, France near the Eiffel Tower.

Part of my mind transitions back to the wall I struggle to maintain, the other part visualizing Wally's final moments, another focusing on the emotional spectrum portion, and of course Wally's physical and personality attributes. The major brain activity going on in head is hefty, draining all the living energy from my body each second.

From his shaggy red hair along with his recent freckle-less face. His green emerald eyes that I miss staring into mine, especially when we'd be angry at one another. The smirk he'd make whenever I'd make him his favorite meal. Down to his well built body, his arms slightly muscular and always relaxed to his side. His legs, those of which made him one of the fastest men in the world, calves unbelievably muscular. All that covered by his Kid Flash uniform.

I get to work starting from the bottom. The motion of the ring shakes rapidly to the inferior component of the stimulated wall, vibrating almost uncontrollably by it's own will, but there's enough strength in me to keep slight control. I squeeze tighter on my wrist to maintain my strength, though I pursue on the resurrection process. I'm sure Guy and Kyle can hear me grunting loudly, shouting words at me from behind, but I ignore them to keep control. The light continues shining brighter in my eyes, making it almost impossible to see while I remain squinting. The thought of Wally's speeding legs flow first in my mind, and for a moment my eyes catch a visual of a pair of semitransparent feet rushing in the wind, almost like they are running in place. I almost consider thinking this is my brain playing tricks on me...and they disappear.

"Come on!" I scream within the wind.

I pay more attention in degree to remember the moment I last saw him racing in the snow. Seconds fly when I, once again, catch the same set of feet reappearing in the wall. I don't give my hopes up, putting more energy and thought in this. A flash of yellow stirs in the mix...the bottom of his boots. Forgetting this being a mind game, this is real. _It's working._ My eyes widen, forgetting about this blinding light being a factor. Like Kyle said, don't lose focus. No minor slip ups. His feet continue running in place. I keep this steady and on point, then lifting the beam higher for his legs, the diaphanous red portion from his pants also in movement along with his feet, from his knees to his thighs.

_"H...ll...o?"_ A voice much like his own sounding like it where speaking through a broken microphone, but echoing loudly and breaking through the wind.

His speed increases, the energy I have left in my body is running low. The power drains me by each passing second. I can feel sweat sliding along both sides of my face, the ponytail from my hair loosening strands. I clinch my teeth in concentration while I moving the ring upwards for his middle torso. The noise from the wind grows louder, the thunderous dissonance being picked up from the background adding to greater volume. His resurgence picks up along with his death. His body shifting movements with each step he takes, bringing the ring upwards to his chest and then some. The very tips of his fingers covered by his red gloves become slightly visible, then slowly raising to his hands and almost the complete portion of he yellow sleeves to his arms, almost simultaneously meeting up with the middle portion of his chest, the red lightning bolt Kid Flash symbol. Still representing himself like a hologram. I'm almost done...more than seventy five percent there. I watch the aurora around my body thicken, growing brighter like a chain reaction.

While I keep the process on developing up towards his neck, I think back on his personality. How he always had something witty to say to me when we first met, the hostility we had for each other and the corny comebacks he'd give M'gann when he crushed on her, and then some. Then I grew to care and so did he. More flirtatious, even at times when he wasn't trying. His sympathy towards me when times I was feeling low and then the love he grew for me, eventually leading to the relationship we have...or at least had. That's all to come back.

_"t's...go...ing...on...?"_ His voice calls out in reverberation again.

His voice speaking to me again, his body still in motion of running. This time I let him get to me. I do what I was told not to, losing partial focus. "Wally! Wally hang in there!"

The wind blows is stronger, causing more noise. I couldn't hear myself speak when in the act, my stance having to be repositioned from the forceful wind. The bits of sand in my eyes doesn't distract me further more. I need to keep myself attentive, but I couldn't help this feeling after hearing his voice for what seems like so long. The ring's streak is weaker, dilution because of my lack of focus, but I shift gears and the lining grows a little fatter, but not as brawny as I first began. The light finally reaches the portion of his face, completing the exterior lining of his head, adding all of the minor details of his face; forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose, cheekbones, jawbones, chin, and then coated.

The power ring forcefully reaches to the midpoint of his body to his lightning bolt on his chest, but my eyes are set on his face. His red hair blowing with the wind, goggles loose against his face, his mouth gasping for air as if he has been running marathons without rest. He brings his pellucid hand to his face, still running in motion and his feet picking up pace, running faster than I've ever seen him do in his life.

_"Ar...mes?" _His voice fades.

He sounds so worried, scared like he's in trouble and nobody can help him. I'm feeling so helpless for him, I almost consider walking to the wall to reach for him. Then my eyes watch him again. Slowly reducing his speed, his legs slowing down and the speed trails behind him becoming visible no more, then he finally stops running. The wind grows weaker, the noise lowering, my ring still points to his chest performing the same activity in which it started. Wally catches his breath, his fragile body shaking constantly and still looking like a hologram. His eyes are stuck on me like glue, his face seriously in concentration.

_"What's going on?" _He asks me.

I don't want to answer him. Whatever the ring's doing, it isn't finished and I don't dare messing this process up. He tries stepping through the wall like a doorway, but is blocked by the wall itself.

_"Artemis...Artemis is that you?"_

My ponytail settles against my backside. I take a few steps forward to add more juice to the ring, my body completely overworked. I can barely feel anything in my toes. I'm shocked that I've lasted this long and I'm still alive, but maintaining difficulty displaying the strength I have in me. I clinch my fist tighter, digging my feet into the sand for a more stable and balanced stance.

_"Where am I?" _He asks himself, looking up at the nighttime sky.

The fact that I'm so close to bringing him back and being in his arms again is hard to fathom. He's here in front of me and alive. A tear simply tinkles from my eyelid downwards my cheek. Emotions begin to set loose, something so easy and simple to ruin this operation.

"Wally!" I shout for him, helplessly. "Wally I'm here!"

His head strikes upward to face me, his face in total surprise from my appearance. I guess he didn't know it was me the first time he set eyes. He places his hand against the wall as if he were trying to break loose.

"_What are you doing?"_ He asks me, sounding befuddled and lost. _"This isn't right...I thought I was...? I'm supposed to be-?"_

"Stay with me!" I shout for him again. If I'd scream any louder, I'm sure I'd lose my voice. "I'm bringing you back!"

My wrist grows tired from this everlasting position I keep it held in, my eyes glued to his face as his eyes wander around the blank wall he's trapped inside, against, or whatever it's doing to encase him. For a brief moment, we meet each other and make eye contact again, his smirk slightly reappearing, a gestural made like he were mentally telling me everything's going to be alright. _God, I missed him so much._ I can't hold it in any longer. My heart sinks to my stomach, my body turns cold, fingers numb to its absolute. I've longed for his grimace, a real vision of him instead of being haunted in my dreams, but now he's here. I catch myself falling way too soon.

Directly from his chest, another succession of black light connects to my weaker beam attached to the center of Wally's body and swarms like a slithering snake towards my ring. I don't want to take the chance on disconnecting the energy flow from Wally's body, but I'm sure this black streak isn't good. I keep hold and watch as I feel my life dimming. The oncoming beam makes contact to my ring, inserting itself to the engraved lantern, then giving me an electrifying shock that lasts for what seems a lifetime The pain is unbearable, ultimately the worst I've ever felt in my life. The voltage jolts throughout my body, more so hitting my spinal area and then some. My aurora cannot match this power, quickly disappearing after contact and I close my eyes to try baring it. I feel myself dropping to my knees and hitting the dark sand, still enduring this excruciating pain. My mind processes the screams I shout, but my ears faint to the sound of my voice, my brain warning me this is it.

My eyes captures the black light being swept away from another white buoyant that isn't coming from my ring. As my body is protected by another aurora, I know Kyle Rayner has stepped in from behind to help me, but only for that moment as the aurora goes away. My mind is clogged to the point where I'm empty in thoughts and overall lost of control. My fist releases from its original tight grip and the ring remains making contact with Wally's body, but fainting in a hurry. My vision is blurred, voices behind me are vague and wispy. My hands grab to the sand for a grip, lowering my head from exhaustion of this entire procedure. My brain continues it's consistent ringing in my head, forming a migraine. The pain lasting throughout my body, but giving no adrenaline to rely on. I raise my head barely enough to scan my cutting beam of light continuing it's travel towards Wally's body, but vanishing in seconds.

"...t...up!" Someone shouts behind me, but I ignore them.

The tremendous shine of light flashing ahead of us subdues, the wall slowly closing in from both sides slowly and shunning out the rest of the leftover light, Wally's still encased in the very center. My ears force myself to catch the words from the same person yelling at me.

"Artemis! Artemis get up!" I recognize Guy's voice from afar.

I manage to lift my upper body, my knees pressing against the dirt sand to support holding me up. I finally watch Wally's coagulated right hand reaching into the ambiance of Oa, then the rest of his right foot out making a break through. He's having a hard time doing this by himself, seemingly if he were squeezing himself from a tightened domain. This is his breakthrough, his challenge. Half of his body steps and enters our dimensional era. I can't believer what I'm setting sight on. I use whatever I have left in me to bring myself to my feet to a struggle, limping my way closer to the wall. My loose hair catches the sweat in my eyes, sticking to me face and making it temporarily difficult to see.

"Wally..." I whisper, my voice almost gone and not knowing whether to smile or wait for myself to gain my strength to help. When I thought things are getting better, the beam connecting from my ring to the center of Wally's chest ends. The wall closes in faster and he's only halfway parting from the divider. My eyes widen in fearfulness for his life. "Wally!"

I realize the wall is quickly diminishing because of the focus I failed to obtain. I manage to uphold new-found strength and race to the last of what remains of his right arm sticking out from the diaphanous wall that refuses to stay alive, keeping itself open enough to prevent splitting Wally's arm in two and enough room in case he were to enter this world. There's the struggle. I use both of my hands to grab on his dangling right wrist, using whatever I have left in me to tug him towards my direction. A spark hits my entire body entirely after eventually making contact. There's no more of this translucent and intangible Wally anymore. His own flesh and bone is back. The wall encasing Wally inside reveals only those solid portions of his arm and leg projecting in this world.

"_It's okay..."_ His voice light and umbrageous.

_Screw that!_ I squeeze harder to his solid wrist, the veins from my arms poking out from my skin. My hands slip down to his palm, his hand grabbing into mine. I'm not going to lose him again.

"I've got you! Don't let go!" I shout to him, unsure if he can hear me from the other side where he's trapped. "Don't ever let go!"

The wall hasn't closed because of my interruption between the sequence. It's waiting for us to depart, but I'm going to fail if we keep this up any longer. His grasp tightens to mine. I'm sure he's got the message, but that's all he can do. By now the wall fights to closing in more and more. Soon it'd take Wally with him or this could possibly kill us both. As our grip weakens and my hold to him slips to compressing his all five of his fingers, the fear of his life ending once again because of me sets into play. Another tear slips down the same cheek as it did earlier. As I watch my grip tardily slide down his fingers, another protective aurora is set around my body, coming from Kyle Rayner once again. I look back at him, set in a wide stance while focusing on my attachment to Wally's hand. His aurora covering me also takes place on enclosing Wally and, what I'd assume, the rest of his body on the other side. I turn back to use my other hand to clench on Wally's wrist again.

"Go!" I shout to Kyle.

A powerful jerky propulsion from my backside departs me away from the wall. Everything goes to quiet. My heartbeat goes to suspension, my body lifts from the sandy ground and Wally's hand in my grip. I can't see his body below mine as I flow higher in the air, but I watch as the wall finally dies, thus ending this battle. I'm sure he's out because of the weight holding my left arm down, but I don't look. When the light in front of me disappears completely as a whole, I close my eyes while I'm unbalanced and flying up and backwards in the air, unprepared for this oncoming unpleasant landing. The last thing I remember is the feeling of Wally's motionless solid hand in mine, then a loud thud...


	9. Chapter 7: Part 2

**PALO, ALTO, CALIFORNIA**  
**OCTOBER 16, 2016, 00:23 PMT**

* * *

Six years by his side, if one of us fell, the one of us would be following. Both of us fell the same day and we don't how and know why. You never woke up and I lay my body down on the snowy floor desperate to hear your footsteps again.

Most of the night consists of me scurrying to the front door thinking Wally's finally made his way back home. Every now and then my ears will catch a car door slamming or maybe quick footsteps against the dry pavement, but the noises heard from outside my home are only the neighbors arriving from their late nights at work. My outlook for Wally's safety and arrival to come home continues to keep me awake and waiting for this perpetual night to be over, that's if he is to come back. Each time my eyes close when I blink I can feel the nerve-racking sting, mentally signaling me to at least take a short nap, but I can't...even if I tried. I haven't gotten a call, a notification, any sign or attempt of contact from him to let me know on his whereabouts and condition. When I arrived home a few hours back I immediately notified his parents, whom continues to worry. Nightwing had set out his own search Team, along with Kid Flash who volunteered to travel around the entire world to search for his cousin, literally. The day was rough and full of anxiety. There aren't many places I can search, especially knowing that his mind is lost. If Wally ever needed to get away from everyone for a while, it'd usually be at his home in Central City, our home, or his favorite fast food restaurant in Palo, Alto, but his sights have been disclosed, leveled when I did my part to search. My stomach continues to perform all sorts of somersaults, twists, and turns. I didn't understand why he left without giving me any reason. My brain continues to run it's course telling me it's because of what I said and the guilt I exposed, but then again, I can't blame him. A lot has been thrown at him this past week and it's my fault for not coming out with the truth first hand. I guess this is where karma hits me; the lies I told, the secrets I've kept, and the trust I've lost. I deserved it. I don't feel sorry for myself and I certainly wouldn't put pity upon me. I knew what I was doing and there wasn't a point in time where I didn't consider all possibilities and consequences of my actions. Therefore I don't feel the need to down myself. With everything going on in my life on the side, my only real worry is making sure Wally's safe.

My tiresome body lays on our untidy bed, back against the cold blanket and me facing the ceiling fan as it proceeds its slow clockwise spins. My dark green blanket at the end of my bed covers me feet and then some more to my calves, leaving the rest of my legs out in the open to allow the cold to hit my kneecaps, but stopping to where Wally's large black gym shorts with red lining on the side block the rest of the arctic feeling. The bedroom window is open just enough to let the cold slip by and for me to catch any speeding footsteps approaching the wooden steps leading to the front door. If I were awake by the time he'd come back, I'd be able to meet him at the doorstep. My body's already numb though, the white muscle shirt not doing much to keep my upper body warm. I turn of head o the right to the night stand beside the bed to get a quick glimpse at the time.

_Twelve twenty-four_

"Where are you?" I whisper to myself.

I force my upper body forward as I throw my legs over the bed for my feet, covered by my black sport socks, to hit the frigid floor. Many strands of my hair fall to the front of my face when I lower my head, preventing me to see most of the floor and blocking out most of my vision up to the front of my thighs, but I only stay in the position to ease my headache. My palm presses against the top of my warm forehead which feels like it's getting a good pounding from a hammer. My throat dry and feeling parched, I make my way out of my room and to the kitchen for a glass of cold water. The path along the way is easy with the lights off, making it unnecessary to turn on the bright lights in the hallway or the kitchen for a visual. The refrigerator light is good enough once I open the door an inch for the light to shine through the crack. I reach for the cabinet next to the top of the fridge and pull out a plastic blue cup, turning on the kitchen sink in the process. My body stops moving when I suddenly hear the noise of the door knob from the front door struggling to turn. Before I can get in my protective stance in case of an attack, the door steadily opens, presenting a shadow in front of the male-ish figure behind stepping through the door. By then I quickly recognize the bodily stance. The shaggy hair, the familiar bodily figure, the same walk he's possessed for the years I've come to know of him; I easily acknowledge Wally without the assistance of light, therefore I relax myself for the moment. When he flicks the living room lights on, Wally's in no surprise to see me awake and waiting for him, catching me in an awkward position with my plastic cup in my hand. I don't need to be in his shoes to know what he's thinking. I'm sure he was expecting something like this,...so here we are. Our eyes meet the very second he fully steps inside, then keeping himself motionless like a still portrait.

My body forgets everything about being thirsty, my headache finally coming to a compete end, and my heart begins to race just as it did the moment finally woke from his coma; letting go of the previous emotions I was having before his arrival. I place my cup on the counter and I appoint myself to slowly walking in his direction. He watches me while closing the door quietly behind him, trying his best to hide the disappointment or ignominy on his face. Not a word is said to him, nor him to me. As I get closer to him, I discover the stickiness in his hair, supposedly from sweat along with a few small pieces of clotted dirt along the side of his jawbone. His face is more of a darker shade of pink than usual, the dark blue thermal he wears is damp as if someone sprayed him with a water hose. Green streaks from grass aligns down the center of his shirt from bottom to end, same with the threads on his elbows and pants. The sides of his shoes tracked with mud, leaving dried dirt on the rug placed before our doorstep._ Gosh, he's a mess. _I turn to the sink to grab a spare white cloth, running it over with warm water until the cloth is damp. My silence continues after I finish squeezing the excess water and walking over to him. Wally looks tense at first when I touch the center of his chest, he flexes his pecs and clinches his fists in response. He comes to relaxation when I begin patting the right side of his face to swipe some of the dirt off his skin, then repeating this same motion downwards. There's no eye contact during this session, though I sense him watching my every movement, trying to meet mine. I pretend to not acknowledge him and ignore his further advances.

"You didn't have to wait for me." He mutters plainly.

His small utterance causes me to meet eyes with him. He's calm, but there's no sign of him telling a sarcastic joke. I guess he didn't expect me to wait on him after ditching me on our date. His eyes wander to the left side of the living room and I continue to pat his face, this time a little harder. I make it aware with a visual through my facial expression that I'm not pleased with him.

"If you didn't leave me behind, I wouldn't have had to in the first place."

"I know...I know-" He pauses himself from speaking furthermore. "I just-"

I place the white cloth on the table stand behind us, then snagging the damped portion of his shirt, more or less his covered chest. His heartbeat is slow, but heavy, easily sending the vibrational waves through his shirt touching my fingers. Something's definitely wrong.

"Where did you go?" I begin asking, grabbing his right wrist with my other hand. I roll his sleeve past his elbow to view the red rash-like marks on his elbow. "Why did you leave me behind? Is it because of what I said?"

Wally doesn't answer. My fingertips gently skim around the skin covering his elbow. He fidgets lightly in response, partially biting into his teeth in the process. Wally takes hold on my hand softly, stopping me from making any further movements around his small irritating wounds. His hand collapses in mine and mine into his, slowly bringing our hands down together, then releasing mine to my side. My other hand on his chest slides upwards to his soft right cheek. He closes his eyes as if he's fallen for my touch.

"Talk to me." I say softly.

His eyes open in a sense of anger and disarray, though I'm not sure for what reason. "I can't...I,um-"

He pauses and leaves me confused._ Why won't he say anything? What's preventing him from doing so?_ His eyes break lose from contact as he lowers his head, my closes in on his red hair. "What? What? You can't what?"

Each time he moves his head to ignore my attempt to regain his focus on me, I follow his every movement. He opens his mouth, but finds it difficult to say the words hiding in he back of his throat. "I didn't come here to stay."

He struggles to admit, but leaving me in shock. I don't understand. "What?" After realizing her totally surpassed my questions and begins anew, my hand drops from his release as I take a few steps away from him for some room to breathe. What I feared most is more likely to happen, just waiting for his actual words to come out. Instead of keeping the look of surprise and fear on my face, I keep myself mellow even though I can practically feel my heart sinking to my stomach. "You're not staying with me anymore, aren't you?"

His jawbone flexes, biting his bottom lip. He doesn't give me a sure answer with a nod or a head shake, but I know I'm correct. Though I'm summed to disappointment, there's not a sense of sadness left in me. This was expected, but chose to ignore this as a potential outcome the entire time. My emotions signal my eyes to flow with tears, but strangely my face is dry. There's no more of this helpless girl falling into tears anymore. Like in my days as a child and growing into the woman I am now, I was put in difficult situations and stuck in disappointing settings. This only tops the other. I'm not going to beg to plead for him to stay back anymore. This is what he wants and if it was meant for us to split apart, then so be it. I can only listen to what he has to say next.

"What about the stuff you have here?" I ask him, my voice going to crack sooner or later.

He looks at me as if I were supposed to be begging him to stay or even looking like I were sad. There's the slight sorrow in my eyes, but other than that...nothing; emotionless. "I've already got some stuff back at home." He answers slowly, his body turning sideways as he's about to leave. "If it's okay with you, I'll stop by later on in the week to gather the rest."

"Yea, sure...of course." My voice growing weaker. My eyes manage to catch his stare one last time, exchanging quiet gazes towards each other before he turns the knob to open the door. There's only one last thing I need to know before his departure. "You mind if I can I ask you something before you go?"

He's willing to respond. "Yea."

I roll my eyes, viewing the entire room and mildly shaking my head in a dashing upset of his sudden decision without giving me a clear explanation. "I might as well be the one to ask why you're leaving without even a short notice."

"Believe me, I didn't want to do end it this way. But there's been so much on my mind and I've had a lot to think about today."

"You've been leaving me out in the dark Wally. You're not helping either of us if you don't talk about it. Like the other morning when you spazzed out during breakfast, or like today when you left me at the park without saying anything." The tears begin filling in my eyes, but I remain strong. "I mean...talk to me. What's going on?"

"Even if I do tell you, it won't do any good." He lowers his head, mumbling underneath his breath.

"How can it not? You said before we have to be patient. Now you're just giving up on everything."

His voice almost sounding like a whisper, "I know but...it hurts too much to try."

"Then let me know how it hurts."

"It's impossible. You-I..." Wally's eyes scatter across the floor, trying his best to give the foremost explanation on how it feels. "You wouldn't understand...you can't understand. There's too much pain going on throughout my body when I try remembering. It's hard dealing with."

"So what about letting your brain heal the natural way? You're still tossing that decision out the window too."

"We both know the doctors weren't completely sure all of my memories will be restored. And since we've been at this for the past week, there's been no progression." Wally releases the door knob and takes a step closer to me, standing close enough to where I have a good reach to hit him, not that I'm going to, but with the silent upset and anger he's putting me through, it's tempting. "It's not going to work Artemis. Coming into a life I don't know...it's a lot to take in. We can't sit here and wait for something that's more and more unlikely to happen. All we'll be doing is wasting our time when we can honestly be-"

"...moving on with our lives?" I finish off his sentence before he gets the chance to, refusing to have him say the same words from his mouth. I didn't want to hear it, least of all from him. _Time to throw in the towel, Artemis. _I give up. My voice rustles to him, unknowing if I'm loud enough for him to hear me. "Do what you got to do Wall-man."

There's nothing more for me to say and I surely didn't want him to say anything more to me. I'm done asking for explanations and hearing what no girl wants to hear, especially from someone with their mind lost in the world. I've tried for the past week and all of the hard work I put through has come to a negative result. There's no regret. Only a simple situation that didn't turn out as planned. Nightwing was right all along. It was time to move on a long time ago. The one thing keeping me back was being stuck on holding to the past. My life as it was before _Wally_ had perished was a dream and seemed so surreal in the duration of reality. I've longed for the feel again after he passed, but the dream disintegrated and turned into dust. Now living in realism and actuality without him, he's only a memory. My Wally is gone, only my dream again. It's time to step aside and let him live his life now.

"I, um..." I notice him moving another inch closer to me. "I really want to thank you Artemis. For...for everything. Your help, your care, your hospitality; you've made me feel at home and like I was wanted. I only wish..." His emerald eyes look deep into mine, just as how he used to look at me long ago. "I hope one day I can love someone the same way that you love me."

As a polite gesture full of thanks and gratitude, he leans in towards the side of the left cheek, unassumingly for a kiss, but in response I reject him. My head lightly turns to the other side, and I gently perform a fake smile, allowing one tear to slide down he same cheek, rippling down towards my chin. I blink repeatedly to prevent more from spilling. I wasn't going to let him leave with the last word. My hands reach for both of his, turning his into fists, then taking them into my own and bringing them towards my chest, holding on to them tightly.

"You figured it out once Wally. You'll figure it out again."

With that being said, I release his hands from my grip, allowing them to fall back to his place. Watching Wally leave the house is the last thing I want to do, thus departing away from him before he gets the chance to the same. The only sound remaining so far are the footsteps of my own sweeping against the floor. As I turn the corner down the hall to my bedroom, I stand with my back against the wall to wait and listen if he'd really leave. I'm sure my words left him puzzled. Silence presumes around the air, and then the entire room goes dark after an unexpected click of the lights. The door slowly opens, the crack unleashing the moonlight and hitting the ground floor. I spot his shadow moving towards the opening of the door, his footsteps light and the rust from the objects holding the door together creating the creaking sound. I listen to his first step outside our home on the wooden porch.

"Goodbye Artemis." His words very faint.

My eyes flow with tears, streaming like a water hose. The doors closes and I wait and listen until his very last steps down the wooden stairs are no more, disappearing into the night.

_Goodbye Wally_


	10. Chapter 8

**WATCHTOWER**

**OCTOBER 25, 2016, 0847 PMT**

_Tigress_

The time here has been passing by leisurely for the time being in the Watchtower, comparable to watching Earth slowly rotate from above. It's not easy being back up here so soon, especially when members from the Team and League walk around and stare at you as if you're some complete stranger. The looks were annoying, but I don't care. I take pride in what I did, so their thoughts about me don't matter. It has been months since I was last in the Watchtower, easily recalling myself on the day I entered the systems database without authorization. I never expected myself to be back here anytime soon or if at all, to conclude I wasn't here for the simple matter of my own choice and here for one reason. The original seven members of the Justice League, with the addition of Kaldur and Nightwing, await inside the conference room discussing my future with the Team, if I still have one. Because of how much time it's taking to decide my final conclusion, I speculate the decision is a hard-fought tough one, but with fair judgment. With my recent behavior, trust issues, and the loss of loyalty to the League and the Team, I figure me being booted would be a simple give and go. Then there was a discernible change in the complete opposite of my recent self; a part of me that was known to be non-existent for people I who know me, a different side of myself in which** I** didn't know about. There has to be some consideration for my reasons to why I did what I did to bring Wally back. Even if their final the decision is pessimistic, I'd leave on a good note knowing someone in there is on my side to understand my reasoning.

Unlike everyone inside the conference room, my future with the Team is second in place to mind. Sure it'd be nice to know the answer so I can close the door and stop my bothersome nerves from going demented throughout my body from the little anxiety I feel, but my thoughts continue to spiral on Wally. It's almost been a full week since I last saw him when he left me to live with his parents back at Central City. There was a time where I hoped he'd come back after a sudden change mind, but I've been left with nothing. There were times throughout the days where I'd expect a letter from him, maybe a phone call, or unexpected text...but then again, what was I thinking. He made his choice and though it's hard accepting him never coming back, I've officially closed that chapter of him in my life. When I think of what I've been through for the past couple months, my mind goes into a dark place. A place I tend to lock with a mental object of a key where I store all of the memories, the good and the painful ones, I've endured throughout my lifetime and lock them away in the back of my mind. With his death making the top of the list and his memory never unfolding, striking me to the heart and seemingly like hitting my soul, it was easy access to have everything spill. I can never unleash the darker side of myself again. I'm not my dad, I'm not what my mother used to be, and I'm not Jade. _I__t's not __who I am._

Nightwing and I once had a conversation a week after Wally's death. In order to help me cope and try relating my situation with one of his own, he brought up his similar experience about once losing Robin II. He never mentioned anything about Batman having to cope and grief while dealing with the loss of his protege at the time, but knowing that Robin II was one in the family and losing him to, if not, the most notorious villains of all time was hard to handle. He brought up a small story about the Joker's past and if I can remember his exact words, '...Anyone can go mad after one bad day.'. Like Nightwing always is for his companions, he was trying to be there for me. He's been a hero longer than any of us on the Team, so he's witnessed changes in those he knew during the span that have lost their loved ones. He installed those words in my head so I wouldn't do the same. But I let myself slip. Like walking up a rocky hill, I skipped a step and stumbled in my own wrong doings. That mindset has to stay in my head for as I keep my career going.

So even when Wally died and I brought him back, I couldn't completely bring him back and I cant change what's already done. Sometimes I find questioning myself is everything I did really worth the trouble I'm in now that he's departed? I don't think this as a negative thought full of regret, but it's something I wonder constantly. All I can do now is make my future better for me and regardless of the decision the League and Team makes for me, I'll choose my own path from this point. My time to leave the 'Artemis life' behind altogether is now. I thought I did this months ago, but I went against my word and ended up leaving myself thwarted. I just never realized how much a death of a loved one can put an affect through most people until you actually experience it yourself. As a hero, I always have that of having the ability of saving everyone, no matter the situation they're in. But I didn't save Wally. _I wasn't damn near close._

My selfish and guilty thoughts are pushed aside when I notice a black shadow of figure presenting itself while approaching me from my left side. I keep my head leveled facing the ground. Whomever it was, he or she doesn't interest me enough to take a glance of who it is. I keep my arms crossed over my chest, leaning my back against the wall next to the automatic sliding door giving the entrance to the conference room.

"They've been in there a long time." A teenage voice says from aside. Once he spoke I knew it's Kid Flash and I don't take the need on acknowledging him. "You seem neutral. Are you nervous?" I shrug my shoulders in response after giving him a quick glimpse of the worry I lack to visibly show in my eyes. "You aren't worried at all? Not afraid like a little bit?"

I take another quick glimpse at him, finally able to block the full remembrance of Wally in my head since Bart has taken over his mantle. I didn't have to confuse him with Wally anymore though he resembles him almost exactly the same with his costume on. To answer his question, honestly, I'm not. I've already prepared myself for whatever their decision would be. "It is what it is. I can't change whatever decision they make."

He looks over his shoulder as if he were checking to make sure nobody is close nearby. "If I were in there with them, I'd give you my vote. I know I said this before, but what you did...I think it was pretty amazing. All the sacrifice, the hard work, the dedication you put through...I don't think anybody here in the Watchtower has the guts to do everything you did. Even though he doesn't remember anything, thanks for bringing him back."

He places his right hand on my left shoulder in the end in display of comfort. I smile in return from his appreciation. If there were more people who'd be thankful like him, I'd feel a lot less dingy. I don't get the chance to welcome him due to our attention being caught short from the door sliding open next to me, presenting the Flash.

"We're ready for you Artemis." He welcomes me, his face full of seriousness and his voice as plain as the plainest it can be.

I look back to Kid Flash with a slight grin on my face, though at heart I'm a little anxious to know about my future. "Wish me luck?"

"You don't need it." He responds quickly, throwing his smirk back at me.

I follow the Flash from behind to enter the usually secluded conference room. Inside my eyes first set on the famous o' mighty table everyone mentions at one point during duty. At least it presence itself in such a way with the other six founding members of the Justice League sitting in a three sixty degree circle, otherwise it'd just be a normal table. Once the Flash steps aside for me to get a better all around view, everyone's heads turn to face me. I never had all of this attention put on me in one sitting and the atmosphere almost feels hostile. This escalates my nerves a smidgen. Nightwing and Kaldur stand to my far right, next to each other without the slightest expression on their faces. It's impossible to even guess what the outcome is. It's almost comparable to the feeling of being held at a parent teacher conference meeting, except the teachers aren't wearing costumes. The door behind us closes unexpectedly, giving me another dosage of nervousness and shivers throughout my body. I do my best to not present myself rattled. Superman rises from his seat with his arms leading behind his back.

"Welcome Artemis." He greets me strongly after breaking the silence. I didn't know how to present myself to a serious and situational meeting about me, so I neither wave or return his 'hello', only staring at them all. He continues, "Let's cut to the chase and begin with saying it's obvious we all know why you're here. You've taken it upon yourself conducting on several activities in the past that have caught up with you and you've been held responsible for your actions that have resulted with severe consequences."

Batman rises from his seat next, standing next to the Man of Steel. "We as a whole have discussed on your future with the Team. Judging from your recent actions we've taken a vote, excluding the Flash for being a unit in the family, but this includes Nightwing and Kaldur."

"I have something to say before you announce your decision." I interrupt them, removing my Tigress mask completely from hiding my face. "I don't regret anything I did in the past. I know what I did was wrong and I know I've lost my trust and disloyalty towards all of you, but what I did needed to be done regardless for my sake, his, or anyone else that cares about Wally. I would think you guys would be grateful for bringing a lost comrade back, one of our own, but this isn't the case. You're focusing on the bad instead of the good." I set my sights to the Green Lantern. "I never used my knowledge against you. It was never my goal to put myself in a position as it were to seem like I were to betray you. I was a single patriot and carried the mission out like one. To get Guy Gardner in trouble was not my intention either, but he agreed to help me after I asked for his assistance." I pause for a moment to return my frustrating sight back to Superman and Batman. I can feel the grip tightening on my mask. "I didn't go on with my mission the right way because I knew you would reject my idea, so I went along with it on my own. Before I came inside while I was waiting out there, I was thinking about what would be the most likely result for my future on the Team after you'd make your decision. I realized that you guys can't tell me my future. I'm the only one who can shape my life and make my own future. From here on out, I'm quitting the Team effective immediately. You don't have to worry about me making anymore mistakes like this again."

The room stays quiet, even the sound of my heartbeat can't be heard from my own ears. Neither one member from the League is surprised or foiled from my decision, maybe a sharp head turn from the Martian Manhunter, but otherwise their mouths are shut. Batman glares at me subsequently with Superman glancing at a baffled Wonder Woman. I look over to Nightwing, though his jaw had dropped just barely and Kaldur lower his head towards the ground, the two seem balked by my decision. I meet eyes back with Batman, still his glare quite focused on me for the long run. We turn into what looks like stare off for what goes on for seconds, which appear to be almost like hours, until he breaks the contest by blinking first. Though the sense of freedom and security sets in, I give no sign disrespect by leaving with a smile. Right then and there I turn away, heading for the door.

"Wait." A voice says from behind. I turn around to the Flash catching up to me from my backside. He too looks to be despondent by my decision, but it's set and done. There's nothing that can change my mind now. He places his hands on top of my shoulders and pulls me into an unexpected, but warm and gentle hug, the feeling strong enough to express his thanks and gratitude.

"Thank you."

I too return the hug also, wrapping my arms around his body for a brief moment, then letting go to make my way outside on my way to the Zeta-Tube. I turn my attention to Nightwing and Kaldur once more, giving them a farewell nod before I'd fully exit the conference room. It's a good feeling knowing I was able to get the last word in against the rest off the higher-ups. Once the door opens and my exit is set, I leave nothing behind but my confidence.

Wherever Wally's mind is, I'm sure he'd want me to move on with my life and be happy. My one mistake is that it took me a while to get the clear picture. The mind bugging part about the entire ordeal is how my one hopeful plan didn't go one hundred percent the way it was coursed. But he's alive now and it's great to know something good came out of the entire process, even if Wally isn't himself anymore. In either case and for the better of my future, it's about time I finally looked forward to pursue my forthcoming goals that I set aside a while back. Letting go of the past is what's best and leaving it behind is difficult, but the memories I share will always be remembered. As long as I live, Wally will always have a big piece of my heart.


	11. Chapter 9

**PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA  
****DECEMBER 23, 2016, 1424 PMT  
**

* * *

Lonely Friday afternoon

_"...and now we'll switch you over to Hannah __Marie__ for the __day-to-day __news in Philadelphia." _

_"Thank you Mark. I'm standing here live in front of Larry's Jewelry store off Sunnyvale Avenue where here earlier today an attempted robbery had taken place. Here's an update for those tuned in."_

Finally...something interesting enough that will temporarily distract me from working on my deadening Physics homework. I turn my short attention span away to the news topic.

_"The lone suspect caught earlier today attempting to steal around fifty thousand dollars remains in police custody, though reports suggest there had to at least be one other person added to this attempted burglary. The individual, who's name has yet to be released, was on his way to escape the scene with a gym bag full of money, but before the authorities had a chance to arrive, he claims to have been attacked by another unknown individual whom the police describe as his 'accomplice'. Evidence shows there was a struggle between suspect and his partner after, what had been assumed to be, a disagreement between the two."_

"Hm..." I reach my hand into a bowel full of dry cereal in front of me, tossing a few sugar coated corn flakes in my mouth while listening to the news reporter.

_"Witnesses around the attempted robbery described the other individual a woman appearing to be in her mid to late twenties, wearing a black and orange sleeveless top with matching bottom shorts containing stripes on the sides almost resembling features of a tiger. She's alleged to have also been wearing black gloves, black combat boots, and black equip bands around each upper leg and one single band on her upper right arm. More details include her having back length blonde hair worn in a single braid with a domino mask concealing her identity. When the first suspect was booked for question, he too claims he was acting alone during the felony. With two stories yet to be unfold, the scene is still under investigation and this makes this the third attempted robbery throughout Philadelphia city-wide in the past two months. In terms of the money that was to be stolen, only half has only be returned and the whereabouts of the other twenty five thousand dollars is a mystery. A higher security posture is sure to be in talks..."_

I can't help but grin at the television knowing the chances of them finding their alleged thief is highly unlikely to happen. With someone I'd suppose having much training in their past to cover their tracks and as easy it was for them to get away with that much money, I'm sure there's not much of a chance they'll get caught. With the report concluding, the sports news takes over and I instantly lose interest, turning the volume to a low. My mind is elsewhere, homework making it to the bottom of my list. With the freezing temperatures outside with the slippery streets wet from the grey storm clouds above making the day seem almost dark as night, rain is more likely to pour again. It makes my afternoon uninteresting, slow, and dull and I anticipate the rest of my day will be me trapped inside my home. But I'm not dressed up to do anything in particular anyway, so it isn't much of a problem sitting comfortably on my couch wearing black socks, sweats, and a white V-neck top. With the heater running throughout the living room, I'm as warm as a summer morning.

I remove myself from sitting in my 'Indian style' position and flip my feet overhead the couch to stand, stretching my toes, legs, and calves; feeling all the good, but uncomfortable cracks and knots snapping throughout my lower body. The longer length of my hair slips from my shoulders to patting against my backside in the ponytail it's held in during a neck stretch. When I'm done and settled, my eyes wander to the small brown table stand beside my couch with three old and wrinkled Philadelphia magazines stack on top of each other with sealed mail hiding underneath. Strange how those envelopes haven't been opened yet. I thought all my mail has been checked while ago, but with some of the side work I've been doing lately they were obviously missed. I reach for the two envelopes for a closer view.

"Not today." I mumble and carelessly toss the first piece of mail to the ground after noticing it was a financial letter from the new college I'm currently attending, Penn State.

On to the next one...a letter sent from a hospital in Palo, Alto, California. This catches my eye to interest because I haven't sent any mail from this location to California, so why did I get this in return? I tear the envelope open from the top to uncover the neatly folded letter, unfolding the paper to read the words typed in print.

"Thank you Artemis L. Crock for...blah, blah, blah." I skim through the first two paragraphs, then my eyes to skipping the rest to the near end. "We're happy to inform you the four hundred dollars you've donated to our Disability Charity has been accepted-."

It makes since now. A month and a half ago people around the town of Palo, Alto had the opportunity to donate money for charity leading towards disabled children. I took the chance to donate money I recently possessed to the Stanford Hospital for the better good of the people that needed the help and care. Then there was also the thought of Wally at the time. Since I truly believed his some part of his brain wasn't fully healed from his recovery after resurrecting him from his death all those months ago and because he never remembered the memories of his life before then, I decided to put in a good deed towards the effort of helping others with those in a similar situation like his. It was something that easily slipped my mind with time passing by.

_The past is the past now_

I set the piece of mail back on the table stand and head for the kitchen attaching itself to the living room, but I stop all movement when a sudden power outage takes place, shutting off all my electrical power usage.

"Perfect." I grab the remote from the arm of the couch in attempt to switch the power, but like all the rest of my possessions relying on electricity, it was out too. "You've got to be kidding me."

"**OH, COME ON!**" The neighbor of mine shouts from the other side of the thick wall, hearing a loud thud from his rage.

Chuckling escapes my throat after listening to his obnoxious yell. I'm not quite in the mood to go outside to work the breakers, but there's not much else I can do here. I head to my doorstep to slip on my black sport sandals lying in front of the entrance. Hopefully this will work for the entire complex, or at least to my benefit. There's no way I'd be able to stand being here with my broadcast dysfunctional.

I don't plan being outside too long, skipping the simple task on finding a sweater to cover my bare arms. I open the door to be greeted with wind blowing to the side of me, brushing against my left arm and causing goosebumps to quickly form. With each breath I exhale, I watch fog create from my mouth, dissipating into the 'daylight'. The flow of the grass moves like waves in an ocean with leaves from all sorts of directions traveling in the street, getting stuck between cars and trapped in bushes assorted nearby. The smell of fresh after-rain fills the air to my nostrils, but more noise from the violent wind blasts in my ears. I look up to the sky, the storm clouds traveling east like a pack of wolves, not slowing down for anything. At least it isn't raining yet. The breakers are on the backside of the apartments, so I'd have to make my way around the other end of the complex to reach the other side, which isn't much to worry about because it's short distance from where I stand.

As I look across the street before stepping along my path, I spot someone standing and silently observing me from the other side. I quickly take note of their distinct features; a couple inches taller than myself, a black hoodie sweater with good covering of their face, with blue jeans, and black shoes. Due to how far they're standing away from me and the size of the sweater, it's impossible to make out the person's gender. I look back to my front door, uncertain to leaving it unlocked. They could be a crook and my home will be easily accessible, but I also convey this person can be waiting on someone else living nearby, but my instinct tells me otherwise. There's no point on being shy about confronting this individual.

"Can I help you with something?" I shout at them loud enough to overcome the abrasive wind.

They raise their hands towards their head, reaching for their hood and removing it. The first feature I notice is red hair trickling to his forehead. I ignore the first rushed obvious assumption in my mind, refusing to believe anything I want to believe, but I'm truly not familiar with many redheads.

I shake my head, bringing the tips of my fingers to touch my lips. "Wal-...?" I dare not to say his full name, praying this individualist isn't him. _This can't be him._ With each step I take closer to them, the more my heart races like a steam boat tugging. I whisper his name again. "Wally?"

I don't need to get any closer to know it's him. His emerald eyes are fairly visible, glistening without any sunlight reflecting off them. The solemnity in his face, he stands partially wet from the rain that had taken place through town an hour ago. This makes me question how long its been while he was standing outside.

My feet splash in the puddles, making the bottom of my sweats soaked and wet. I don't care for the matter. "Wally!" I call for his name louder, walking faster in his direction.

He blinks repeatedly after a few spare droplets of sprinkles lightly smack his cheeks. He relaxes his hands in his pockets, "Artemis Lian Crock..." He announces my full name with his voice spoken softly, then tuning himself up a notch. "You're lactose intolerant, but you love strawberry ice cream and chocolate milk." He states a random fact about myself that's true, but how does he know? I told him that long ago, something he should have forgotten. I continue approaching him in surprise from his appearance. "You're favorite food is sushi even though you hated raw meat until you were seventeen." He clears the back of his throat the closer I get to him, listening to more of what he has to say about me. "You never had the chicken pox unlike your sister." His eyes follow the sky for a brief moment in thought. "You suffer from borderline insomnia disorder only during the autumn season. Oh...and when you were in the seventh grade, your school council offered you to skip the eighth grade after repeatedly impressing your teachers at the school. The reason you didn't is 'cause you didn't want to leave your friends behind."

_And all of that is true_

By his last statement I've already completely made myself to him, standing only a few inches apart on the sidewalk across the street from my apartment. We stand in mere silence. He removes his hands from his pockets. I forget all about the cold causing my body to shiver. My hair flows the with wind like the little of his. Emotions spiraling out of control, I don't know how to feel inside. As much as I wanted to unleash me anger on him for leaving me two months ago and as much I struggled with the inner turmoil, I can't, especially with him looking down on me with his cunning grimace. He knows I've come to realize he retrieves some facts about me, maybe more about is. Somehow his memory had finally blossomed, but to what extent? I don't know how and I'm not planning on asking. I don't return the smile either, too busy focusing on hiding back the watery tears in my eyes. After all this time, he's back.

He licks his bottom lip, keeping eye contact with me the entire time from the beginning. "I've missed you."

My heart continues its constant beating at full throttle, my spine acquiring the chills from all parts of my body, my blood rushing like cars racing. This isn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to come back and I honestly never planned on seeing him again, but him being here changes everything. The breeze decreases a little, making it easier for us to hear each other despite being so close. "I..." My eyes break away from his to the parking lot a few yards to my right. I use my fingers to comb a few loose locks of my hair behind my right ear. "I've missed you too." I sound like the wind has taken my breath away.

He's pleased to hear the truth as his smile grows wider as I purse my lips. He takes a step closer to me, closing in on the gap space between us. "I've been hit on the head a couple times. Random dreams popping up here and there, one after another...and mid-day images. There were times where I'd remember something random during anytime of the day. Artemis, I know more about myself than I could as the past two months went by, but it's been slow." We notice the sprinkling around us getting heavier, bringing on light rain to shower us in the street. He continues shortly after while shaking his head in a regretful manner. "I shouldn't have given up on us. I should have been patient like you and go with it for the long run."

Words can't describe how ecstatic and happy I am to see him. This means so much to me, foremost knowing his brain is healing and he's getting better, but I don't express it. The frustration and pure upset boils inside from him putting me through the emotional roller coaster he had me ride in the past. I'm lost for words, only left in wonderment. When he left me, I didn't want a future apology he's giving me now. I didn't want him to speak to me after he left me in tears that night. I honestly never wanted to see his face again. The last thing I need from him is to come back to me like this. I know his apology comes from his heart, but I find it difficult, almost impossible to forgive. His chance was there and he walked out on me, but this situation is complex. We were both victims of a complicated situation and neither of us were in an easy positions. I try changing the topic elsewhere with my emotions needing to be contained.

He scratches the back of his head. "I, uh-..." He clears his throat again. "A little birdie told me you resigned from the Team and moved on from there. It wasn't too long ago when I returned to our home in Palo, Alto, but the new people told me you moved. They were still receiving your incoming mail to this forwarded address with your name on it. It took me a month to find you."

My smile is hidden in the duration of biting the tip of my tongue. I'm flattered in the non-creepy way I should be knowing he was waiting for me outside my home with a hood on for who knows how long. Though he's given his form of an apology, I question myself where we stand.

"It was hard..." I take a second to gather myself after my voice cracks. "It was challenging putting everything aside to move on, but I did..." I bite my bottom lip, eyes following the threads down his damp black sweater.

I know he's here to reconcile, trying to patch everything to our loose ends together in such a short amount of time, but after two months passing by without a say from either side, it's almost too easy to give in. It's never simple to build on what was once damaged. And I know rejection is something he doesn't want to perceive. His brain might be healing, but he's not one hundred percent himself yet and I've already taken a different route in my life. It's, once again, complicated. Our present days can't counteract with each other right now, especially if he has picked up the hero mantle again. And I promised myself I wouldn't turn back to what I once let go in the past. If I do, I'll be going against my word again and can potentially disappoint myself. I don't want to put myself in that place again, to risk getting hurt.

"We have some catching up to do." I give him a polite smile, placing my right hand on his left shoulder. His small grin reappears after my touch, sending off a sense of comfort. Touching his shoulder somehow has me feeling like I've touched his soul, his body seemingly liquescent during contact. "But we have time."

I know he's hiding his disappointment behind his eyes, but my words have a backbone and they mean the world. He may not realize it, but at this point it's for the best of us. His smile is fake, "That's good cause...like I said, some of my memories come and go, but it'll take some time for everything to come back. I'll be patient."

He doesn't do a good job concealing all of his emotions, but I leave it at that. He knows where to find me when the day comes and pending on how I'm currently doing at the time will course us in the future. I remove my hand from his shoulder, bringing it back to my side. With the rain picking up, my shirt is almost completely wet, causing my red sports bra to be seen visible underneath. I can feel the drizzle seeping through the strands of my hair, causing it to become drenched. I predict frizzy hair problems in the next hour once it dries up. Some strands are linked to the sides of my face, but I don't care. The rain seems almost unnoticeable when getting lost in Wally's eyes.

"Can I ask you something?" He asks.

I nod, but he's uncertain after permission. He stays quiet when taking another slide step forward, widening his arms out from his sides and, slowly but surely, making his way through and in-between my arms and waist. I'm frozen for the moment, wondering what it is he's exactly trying to accomplish, watching his every movement in attempt to wrap his arms fully around my body, steadily surpassing my waist until his arms meet around my back to the middle of my spine. The same moment he steps closer into me, our chests make contact, body heat exchanging body heat, and his left cheek resting against my right temple. My body automatically responds without will by my hands gently grasping on to the triceps of his arms, then leisurely making their way to his backside, clinching to his sweater. A tear escapes from my eye, I bury my face into his chest in silence. Nothing but the rhythm of our heartbeats and the sounds of the rain hitting the pavement is heard within the seconds we're embracing each other. By this time, all of the negative energy locked inside washes away. He tightens this hug a little more, resting his chin above the center of my head and his fingers planting against the ponytail portion of my hair. It's been so long since I was this close to Wally. I would've never foreseen this happening. Our embrace explains everything on both ends, making it unnecessary for words to be spoken.

_For actions speak louder than words_

And though I'd love to hold him like a little girl with her favorite stuffed doll and just how all good things happening in one significant moment, this comes to an end. We mutually separate, I avoid eye contact as another tear slips during our departure. Too much pride in letting him watch me cry from joy, and sadness. His hands slide from my elbows, down to my forearms, wrists, then 'till our fingers glide apart. My solitary arms make their way to my sides again.

"I'll see you again, on one side or the other." He says with self-assurance.

Wally doesn't wait for my response, turning away with a gleaming smile and disbanding from our brief unexpected meeting. I watch him walk down the street, then starting a rapid pace while flipping his hood over his head to resume normal. He looks both ways for vehicles when approaching the intersection ahead and when he reaches the block leading to the roadway, he turns around one last time to take a quick glance at me, signaling a wave of goodbye. I don't return a wave of my own, responding with only a fake smile he can't see in the distance. In my eyes, the fastest man alive races off in the road with traffic, leaving me behind to watch nothing but his black and blue speed trails following him to wherever he chooses his next destination and the rain pouring above me.

* * *

_**I don't expect you to understand my confused emotions right now. Just know that my love for will never fade and our memories created will remain in a special area of my brain. I hope the best for you, for success, and future happiness. One day I hope you will forgive me, for being honest with how I feel, just know what I feel with you was real… I just couldn't feel it any longer. You must know that when I love someone as much as I love you dear, I forget to love myself in the process, and I become numb. After a while, I create a monster within myself that eventually lashes out, and this is what you haven't seen of me. I don't expect you to understand it all now, just know I gave you everything my heart could have offered and I never wanted to be the reason why you were hurting so deeply. And because you were hurting so much, don't think that I wasn't suffering as well. I was suffering. Understand one day, that this is best for both of us. Until then, when the time is right.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Artemis L. Crock**_


End file.
